August 2024
Journal
August 2, 2024 I’ve made some weight loss gains, started running again, and I tried Ben Pollack’s Think Big program for a bit. At this point I think I just need to prioritize consistency and balance, especially when it comes to diet and rest. I also want to figure out a good way to hit major muscle groups 2x week. June 23, 2024 Tried stricter dieting again; not a fan. Still struggling to moderate snacking and move around more. Going to try walking at night, maybe with weights. May 27, 2024 Really enjoying higher volume strength training and flexible hypertrophy sessions. Need to reel in drinking/edibles/binging to get fat loss back on track. Also want to learn more about tofu and how to integrate into leaner, higher protein lunches. April 30, 2024 Adding more variety to exercise and diet; trying to be more intuitive and flexible rather than strict and regimented. Weight loss has improved; hypertrophy gains to be determined. April 15, 2024 Enjoying 5 day SBDPR program but struggling to moderate drinking and fat loss again. Considering dedicated 10-12 week cut rather than lean bulk attempts. March 25, 2024 543 has been great; adding row day per Alex Bromley January 16, 2024 Continued issues with recovery; switching back to 4 day program but enjoying daily cardio December 14, 2023 Attempting a 12 week, 5 day program, along with daily cardio to spike metabolism. The goal is to focus less on programming and more on dieting. November 25, 2023 Reviewed PHAT and Reddit PPL to help design new program November 22, 2023 Been consuming a lot more soy/tofu to help with lean protein intake. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/soy/ Also started taking 1-2000mg of vitamin C to stave off histamines. November 13, 2023 At the same time, I started a 7 day bro split (shoulders, legs, back, chest, hams, triceps, biceps) and a focus on weight loss using macro goals and some new tofu-based meals. This proved to be way too draining given the quality of sleep we’re getting these days and the lack of calories. I really enjoyed having a fitness goal each day, though, and not treating weekends like “days off.” As a result, I am trying a modified 6-day PPL program (push/pull/legs/rest/push/pull/core) with no changes to the high protein, low fat diet I am working on to lose weight. 10 days in, and I’ve gone from 194 to 190 and change. October 15, 2023 After going to Overgaard with my dad, I am feeling like I want so shake up my approach to fitness even more. I can lift a lot of weight (sometimes, some ways), but I can’t seem to get a handle on my weight or cardio. I also need to make more time for Madi to exercise and take care of herself during the week. For those reasons, I am going to try doing some cardio in the mornings, working out 5 days a week on my lunch break, and focusing more on frequent, smaller meals to stimulate my metabolism and hopefully lose some weight. April 28, 2023 “Trying to combine hypertrophy, cardio, core, and weight loss with strength training (example) is not working with our current sleep schedule. It may not make sense to combine these two regardless, but I need to revert back to focusing on strength and cardio/core until I hit 1K and then consider hypertrophy as my focus afterwards.
Priorities:
- strength
- cardio/weight loss
- core
- hypertrophy
I think this program will work best. It focuses on the 4 main compounds with quick opportunities for arm and core gains.”
NEED TO FORMAT BELOW
May 25, 2023 Attempted and failed deadlift and bench 1RM again. Training maxes indicate I am within at least 10 pounds of 1RM across all exercises, but I still struggle on the test lifts for the following reasons: Technique - I continue to tweak my movements and accessories (wraps, belt, etc.). I need to revisit the Starting Strength book and watch through some more YouTube videos to make sure my setup is good, specifically hand and bar placement before liftoff. Rest - Eliza continues to keep us up throughout the night, making it difficult to bank sleep before testing. Next time, I will try sleeping in another room the night before to minimize this. Scheduling - Somewhat impulsively, I attempted these lifts around 5pm after a long day visiting with family. Carb-load the night before, drink extra water, big breakfast, early morning testing. Training Maxes These will become my new calculated 1RM, and I am going to stop calculating TMs off estimated 1RM as it seems to be misleading.
June 10, 2023 Deadlifted 355x4 thanks to guidance from this StrongLifts article. The biggest takeaways from today are: Wear my belt lower, top of belt just over belly button. Take breath to brace core. Feet centered horizontally and vertically beneath end of knurling. Arms closer to shoulder width (narrower than usual).
July 26, 2023 After about two months of running this program, based largely off the original 531 template, I decided the following: I want to hit my 1K goal at the end of August (~two months away). I want to switch to a more intense program to boost my odds.
I tried out the Renaissance Periodization Powerlifting Peaking program, which had me squatting and benching 4 days a week and deadlifting twice. The variety of volume was overwhelming, and, by design, it was beating me up. This program seems best-fitted to devoted lifters with a coach, a fixed diet and sleep schedule, and more confidence in their supplementation than I have.
To compromise on the pursuit of boosting volume without feeling terrible, I am going to return to 531 BBB to see if I can make some strength and hypertrophy gains without the need for tons of recovery.
Ultimately I think I do best with programs that I enjoy and, repeatedly, that has been some variation of 531.
August 9, 2023 I finally reached 1k across the main lifts! 340 squat No belt Use feet on bench to setup back arch and shoulder pinch 260 bench Belt and lifted shoes Breath before drop to expand stomach Elbows down to tighten back and shoulders 400 deadlift Belt Mixed grip Feet shoulder width and turned out Breath before drop to expand stomach
I’m proud (and a bit relieved) to have hit these numbers, and I look forward to trying some new programs/exercises now, especially with more emphasis on flexibility, cardio, and weight loss.
Some things to focus on moving forward: Hypertrophy and fat loss Improved form and controlled lifts Protein and greens intake Cardio and general health Have more fun and less stress Be confident in my ability to program and push myself
Things to research: High protein, low calorie foods Bag programs (arms, legs) Sleep intervals
August 27, 2023 Hypertrophy training is going well. I’ve switched to a 3 day lifting / 3 day cardio program, and I feel a lot of relief without the pressure of weekly progression.
I am not very consistent with cardio yet, but I am going to try to start following this walking program from ExRx.
September 24, 2023 I think fat loss may be my highest goal right now. I am enjoying this 3 day full-body program that focuses on hypertrophy, but I want to add cardio and fit into my clothes better.