John Hansens Training Diary Week of February 10th 2008
by: John Hansen - February 11th, 2008
John Hansens Training Diary Week of Feb. 10, 2008
Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008
Today is Sunday so its an off day from the gym. My weight this morning was up to 219 pounds and the waist is still at 36. Its funny how my weight is starting to go up now after following the diet for three weeks. That is what typically happens with my body. When I first start the diet, I lose bodyweight pretty rapidly but my waist goes down very slowly. After a couple weeks, my bodyweight stabilizes and sometimes I even gain a few pounds back. The waist, however, continues to steadily drop.
It was super cold out in Chicago today. I think the high was zero degrees so I didnt do anything except stay inside. I had one client in the morning and then it was hibernation time. I stayed on the diet faithfully though and kept my carbs under 150 grams. I didnt even cheat a little and have my Mini-Popcorn today. Here is what I ate:
Meal 1 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Whey Gold
Meal 2 2 whole x-large eggs, 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 3 4 oz lean turkey burger, 155 grams sweet potato, 3.21 oz broccoli
Meal 4 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 5 8 egg whites, 3 t. salsa, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 6 4.3 oz sirloin steak, ½ cup green peas
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2458 calories with 293 grams of protein, 144 grams of carbohydrates and 80 grams of fats. This breaks down to 48% protein, 23% carbs and 29% fats. Back to the gym tomorrow for Week 4 of my Training Cycle!
Monday, Feb. 11, 2008
My weight and waist were exactly the same as yesterday 219 pounds and the waist at 36. My goal is to get the waist down to 35 ¾ by the end of this week.
I went to the gym in the afternoon today to train chest and triceps. My strength was up a little over the last workout and the elbow was hurting a little but definitely not worse than last time so I was able to get through the whole workout. Here is how it went:
DB Bench Press 75x12, 100x10, 120x7, 120x6
Incline BB Press 185x10, 225x8, 245x5
Incline Flyes 75x10, 80x9, 80x8
Close-Grip Bench Press 185x10, 205x8, 225x5
Lying Tricep Ext. 100x12, 120x10, 140x7
Bench Dips BWx15, 100x11 drop set to BWx8 x 2 sets
Standing Calf Raises 300x15, 420x12, 520x10
Seated Calf Raises 100x12, 150x10, 170x8
I wasnt able to get my cardio in today because I had an appointment at 3:30pm and I didnt finish my workout until 3 so I had to get out of there. I will try to get it in three times this week though, even if I have to do on an off day.
I increased the calories today and the carbs were over 230 which is a little high. I might drop them a little tomorrow and then go really low on Wednesday, my off day from the gym. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Whey Gold
Meal 2 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 3 (Pre-Workout) 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 4 (During Workout) 1 serving Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 5 (Post Workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive CE
Meal 6 4 oz lean turkey burger, 140 grams sweet potato, 2.86 oz broccoli
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 8 6 oz marinated salmon, 1 cup green beans
Meal 9 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2871 calories with 310.5 grams of protein, 233 grams of carbohydrates and 68 grams of fats. This breaks down to 43% protein, 33% carbs and 21% fats.
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008
My bodyweight today dropped a little to 217 pounds and the waist is still at 36. It was back to the gym today for abs and legs. It was a good workout today. I increased the amount of reps I did for abs and I went heavier on Leg Curls and Stiff-leg Deadlifts as well as Leg Extensions, Leg Press, Front Squats and Walking Lunges. Here is how the workout went today:
Hanging Knee Raises BWx40, BWx30
Crunches Bench BWx30, BWx25
Leg Curls 110x12, 130x10, 140x7
DB Stiff-leg Deadlifts 100x12, 120x10, 125x8
Leg Extensions (Body Master) 130x20, 170x15, 200x10
Leg Press 450x15, 630x12, 810x10, 860x8
Front Squats 135x12, 185x10, 205x8
Walking Lunges 115x10, 125x10
My diet was pretty good today but I did miss a protein drink so my protein was down a little and the carbs were slightly higher than normal. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 (Pre-Workout) 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 3 (During Workout) 1 serving Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 4 (Post-Workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive CE
Meal 5 4.06 oz lean turkey burger, 132 grams sweet potato, 2.93 oz broccoli
Meal 6 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 7 4.34 oz sirloin steak, 3 T. salsa, Mini-Bag Popcorn
Meal 8 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
My diet today came out to 2692 calories with 272 grams of protein, 244 grams of carbohydrates and 75 grams of fats. This breaks down to 40% protein, 35% carbohydrates and 25% fats.
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008
Today was my off day from the gym. My weight and waist were exactly the same as yesterday, the weight was at 217 pounds and the waist was at 36.
My back was pretty tight today from doing the Walking Lunges yesterday. This exercise really gets my glutes and hips sore and it affects my lower back. I did my yoga last night before I went to bed and that relieved some of the tightness. Today, I went to the chiropractor in the morning and got an adjustment and then I went for a deep tissue massage after that. Both of these practices seemed to really help take away the tightness in the lower back.
I ate seven small meals today and I kept the carbs really low. Hopefully, this will have an effect on the waistline by the end of the week. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Whey Gold
Meal 2 2 x-large whole eggs, 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 3 8 egg whites, 3 T. salsa, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 4 4.34 oz lean ground turkey, 122 grams sweet potato, 3 oz broccoli
Meal 5 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 6 6 oz marinated salmon, 1 cup green beans
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2526 calories with 291 grams of protein, 138 grams of carbs and 79 grams of fats. Back to the gym tomorrow!
Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008
My weight this morning was up slightly to 217.5 pounds and the waist is still holding steady at 36. I went to the gym today in the morning to train delts and calves. I increased the weight on every exercise and I did more reps on the Donkey Calf Raises. Here is how the workout went today:
Seated DB Press 45x15, 70x12, 95x9, 100x8
Seated Side Laterals 40x12, 45x10, 45x10
Upright Rows 115x10, 135x10
Lying Side Laterals 30x12, 30x12, 30x11
DB Shrugs 110x12, 135x10, 135x10
Donkey Calf Raises 190 plus 45 lbs x 25, 190 plus 135 lbs x 25, 190 plus 135 lbs x 20
Face Down Calf Raises 260x11, 280x10
Cardio Treadmill for 13 ½ minutes, 3.2 mph @ 8.0 incline
I went up to the 100 pound dumbbells for the Seated DB Press, I did two sets with the 45s for Seated Side Laterals, I went up to 135 on Upright Rows and did the 30s for all three sets of Lying Side Laterals. I did two sets with the 135s on DB Shrugs. After the workout, I did cardio but I couldnt even make it 15 minutes because my calves were so pumped. Ill do cardio again tomorrow.
My diet today was higher in calories and carbs. I was feeling really hungry today so I had a slice of whole wheat bread with some natural peanut butter in addition to my regular diet. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 (Pre-Workout Drink) 1 scoop of Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 3 (During Workout) 1 serving of Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 4 (Post-workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 5 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 6 4.66 oz lean ground turkey, 130 grams sweet potato, 3.28 oz broccoli
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Egg Protein
Meal 8 5.57 oz sirloin steak, ½ cup green peas, 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 9 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 3194 calories with 339 grams of protein, 244 grams of carbohydrates and 86 grams of fats. Todays diet breaks down to 42% protein, 31% carbs and 24% fats.
Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
My waist dropped down today to 35 ¾ which was great. I seem to be on schedule now to lose a quarter inch off my waist each week. At this pace, I should be able to get down to a 32 ½ waist around mid-May. My weight today was at 217.5 pounds which means that my weight has stabilized and I may even be putting on some muscle at this point.
I went to the gym in the morning to train back and biceps. My lower back was not feeling that great today. I did my yoga in the morning before I went to the gym and I did my lower back exercises on the ball right before I started training.
When I started training, my lower back felt really weak so I stayed with the same weight I did last time on barbell rows. I wanted to increase my deadlift by 20 pounds each time I did them and I did increase it today but I only did 4 reps because it felt like I was going to strain my lower back. It was an ok workout overall but it could have been much better if my lower back was feeling better.
Close-Grip Pulldowns 130x15, 180x10
Barbell Rows 185x12, 225x10, 255x6, 255x8
Seated Cable Rows 250x10, 250x9, 250x8
Deadlifts 225x12, 315x8, 365x4
Incline Curls 40x12, 45x9, 45x8
Barbell Curls 95x10, 95x8
Cardio 15 minutes on the treadmill, 3.2 mph @ 8.0 incline, 132 bpm after exercise.
My diet today was a little lower in calories than yesterday. I kept the protein intake high and my carbs were under 230. Im surprised that I am able to lose bodyfat with my carbs up to 230 grams on my training days but it seems to be working. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 (Pre-Workout) 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 3 (During Workout) 1 serving Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 4 (Post Workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 5 4.06 oz lean ground turkey, 128 grams sweet potato, 2.96 oz broccoli
Meal 6 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Egg Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 7 6 oz marinated salmon, 1 cup green beans
Meal 8 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein
Meal 9 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2832 calories with 313 grams of protein, 227 grams of carbohydrates and 57 grams of fats. This breaks down to 44% protein, 32% carbohydrates and 18% fats.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008
My weight today was 217 pounds and the waist was still down to 35 ¾. My waist has dropped a quarter of an inch each week so Im making good progress on losing the fat. Here is my weekly progress to date:
Beginning Week - 1/19/08 - Weight 229 - Waist 37"
Week One - 1/26 - Weight 218 - Waist 36 1/2" - Avg Cal. 2611 - Avg Carbs 213
Week Two - 2/2 - Weight 216.5 - Waist 36 1/4" - Avg Cal. 2619 - Avg Carbs 201
Week Three 2/9 Weight 217 Waist 36 Avg. Cal. 2654 Avg. Carbs 200
Week Four 2/16 Weight 217 Waist 35 ¾ Avg. Cal. 2737 Avg. Carbs 196
One interesting thing I noticed from recording my weekly progress is that the average carb intake has slightly dropped each week as Ive continued to lose fat. It went from 213 grams in week one to 201 grams in week two, 200 grams in week three and 196 grams in week four.
One very encouraging trend is that my bodyweight has stayed the same for the last three weeks while the waist has gone down. My weight was 218 at the end of week one, 216.5 after week two and 217 for the last two weeks. That tells me that I am maintaining and possibly even building muscle while I am losing fat. Great news!
Today was an off day from the gym so I kept the carbs very low but I still ate seven meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, three protein drinks and an additional meal). Here is exactly what I ate today:
Meal 1 2 x-large eggs, 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 3 4 oz lean ground turkey, 152 grams of sweet potato, 3.56 oz broccoli
Meal 4 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 5 4 oz sirloin steak, 3 T. salsa, ½ cup green peas
Meal 6 8 egg whites, 2 T. salsa
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2585 calories with 296 grams of protein, 144 grams of carbs and 78 grams of fats.
Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008
Today is Sunday so its an off day from the gym. My weight this morning was up to 219 pounds and the waist is still at 36. Its funny how my weight is starting to go up now after following the diet for three weeks. That is what typically happens with my body. When I first start the diet, I lose bodyweight pretty rapidly but my waist goes down very slowly. After a couple weeks, my bodyweight stabilizes and sometimes I even gain a few pounds back. The waist, however, continues to steadily drop.
It was super cold out in Chicago today. I think the high was zero degrees so I didnt do anything except stay inside. I had one client in the morning and then it was hibernation time. I stayed on the diet faithfully though and kept my carbs under 150 grams. I didnt even cheat a little and have my Mini-Popcorn today. Here is what I ate:
Meal 1 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Whey Gold
Meal 2 2 whole x-large eggs, 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 3 4 oz lean turkey burger, 155 grams sweet potato, 3.21 oz broccoli
Meal 4 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 5 8 egg whites, 3 t. salsa, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 6 4.3 oz sirloin steak, ½ cup green peas
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2458 calories with 293 grams of protein, 144 grams of carbohydrates and 80 grams of fats. This breaks down to 48% protein, 23% carbs and 29% fats. Back to the gym tomorrow for Week 4 of my Training Cycle!
Monday, Feb. 11, 2008
My weight and waist were exactly the same as yesterday 219 pounds and the waist at 36. My goal is to get the waist down to 35 ¾ by the end of this week.
I went to the gym in the afternoon today to train chest and triceps. My strength was up a little over the last workout and the elbow was hurting a little but definitely not worse than last time so I was able to get through the whole workout. Here is how it went:
DB Bench Press 75x12, 100x10, 120x7, 120x6
Incline BB Press 185x10, 225x8, 245x5
Incline Flyes 75x10, 80x9, 80x8
Close-Grip Bench Press 185x10, 205x8, 225x5
Lying Tricep Ext. 100x12, 120x10, 140x7
Bench Dips BWx15, 100x11 drop set to BWx8 x 2 sets
Standing Calf Raises 300x15, 420x12, 520x10
Seated Calf Raises 100x12, 150x10, 170x8
I wasnt able to get my cardio in today because I had an appointment at 3:30pm and I didnt finish my workout until 3 so I had to get out of there. I will try to get it in three times this week though, even if I have to do on an off day.
I increased the calories today and the carbs were over 230 which is a little high. I might drop them a little tomorrow and then go really low on Wednesday, my off day from the gym. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Whey Gold
Meal 2 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 3 (Pre-Workout) 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 4 (During Workout) 1 serving Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 5 (Post Workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive CE
Meal 6 4 oz lean turkey burger, 140 grams sweet potato, 2.86 oz broccoli
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 8 6 oz marinated salmon, 1 cup green beans
Meal 9 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2871 calories with 310.5 grams of protein, 233 grams of carbohydrates and 68 grams of fats. This breaks down to 43% protein, 33% carbs and 21% fats.
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008
My bodyweight today dropped a little to 217 pounds and the waist is still at 36. It was back to the gym today for abs and legs. It was a good workout today. I increased the amount of reps I did for abs and I went heavier on Leg Curls and Stiff-leg Deadlifts as well as Leg Extensions, Leg Press, Front Squats and Walking Lunges. Here is how the workout went today:
Hanging Knee Raises BWx40, BWx30
Crunches Bench BWx30, BWx25
Leg Curls 110x12, 130x10, 140x7
DB Stiff-leg Deadlifts 100x12, 120x10, 125x8
Leg Extensions (Body Master) 130x20, 170x15, 200x10
Leg Press 450x15, 630x12, 810x10, 860x8
Front Squats 135x12, 185x10, 205x8
Walking Lunges 115x10, 125x10
My diet was pretty good today but I did miss a protein drink so my protein was down a little and the carbs were slightly higher than normal. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 (Pre-Workout) 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 3 (During Workout) 1 serving Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 4 (Post-Workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive CE
Meal 5 4.06 oz lean turkey burger, 132 grams sweet potato, 2.93 oz broccoli
Meal 6 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 7 4.34 oz sirloin steak, 3 T. salsa, Mini-Bag Popcorn
Meal 8 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
My diet today came out to 2692 calories with 272 grams of protein, 244 grams of carbohydrates and 75 grams of fats. This breaks down to 40% protein, 35% carbohydrates and 25% fats.
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008
Today was my off day from the gym. My weight and waist were exactly the same as yesterday, the weight was at 217 pounds and the waist was at 36.
My back was pretty tight today from doing the Walking Lunges yesterday. This exercise really gets my glutes and hips sore and it affects my lower back. I did my yoga last night before I went to bed and that relieved some of the tightness. Today, I went to the chiropractor in the morning and got an adjustment and then I went for a deep tissue massage after that. Both of these practices seemed to really help take away the tightness in the lower back.
I ate seven small meals today and I kept the carbs really low. Hopefully, this will have an effect on the waistline by the end of the week. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Whey Gold
Meal 2 2 x-large whole eggs, 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 3 8 egg whites, 3 T. salsa, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 4 4.34 oz lean ground turkey, 122 grams sweet potato, 3 oz broccoli
Meal 5 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 6 6 oz marinated salmon, 1 cup green beans
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2526 calories with 291 grams of protein, 138 grams of carbs and 79 grams of fats. Back to the gym tomorrow!
Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008
My weight this morning was up slightly to 217.5 pounds and the waist is still holding steady at 36. I went to the gym today in the morning to train delts and calves. I increased the weight on every exercise and I did more reps on the Donkey Calf Raises. Here is how the workout went today:
Seated DB Press 45x15, 70x12, 95x9, 100x8
Seated Side Laterals 40x12, 45x10, 45x10
Upright Rows 115x10, 135x10
Lying Side Laterals 30x12, 30x12, 30x11
DB Shrugs 110x12, 135x10, 135x10
Donkey Calf Raises 190 plus 45 lbs x 25, 190 plus 135 lbs x 25, 190 plus 135 lbs x 20
Face Down Calf Raises 260x11, 280x10
Cardio Treadmill for 13 ½ minutes, 3.2 mph @ 8.0 incline
I went up to the 100 pound dumbbells for the Seated DB Press, I did two sets with the 45s for Seated Side Laterals, I went up to 135 on Upright Rows and did the 30s for all three sets of Lying Side Laterals. I did two sets with the 135s on DB Shrugs. After the workout, I did cardio but I couldnt even make it 15 minutes because my calves were so pumped. Ill do cardio again tomorrow.
My diet today was higher in calories and carbs. I was feeling really hungry today so I had a slice of whole wheat bread with some natural peanut butter in addition to my regular diet. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 (Pre-Workout Drink) 1 scoop of Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 3 (During Workout) 1 serving of Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 4 (Post-workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 5 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 6 4.66 oz lean ground turkey, 130 grams sweet potato, 3.28 oz broccoli
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Egg Protein
Meal 8 5.57 oz sirloin steak, ½ cup green peas, 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 9 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 3194 calories with 339 grams of protein, 244 grams of carbohydrates and 86 grams of fats. Todays diet breaks down to 42% protein, 31% carbs and 24% fats.
Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
My waist dropped down today to 35 ¾ which was great. I seem to be on schedule now to lose a quarter inch off my waist each week. At this pace, I should be able to get down to a 32 ½ waist around mid-May. My weight today was at 217.5 pounds which means that my weight has stabilized and I may even be putting on some muscle at this point.
I went to the gym in the morning to train back and biceps. My lower back was not feeling that great today. I did my yoga in the morning before I went to the gym and I did my lower back exercises on the ball right before I started training.
When I started training, my lower back felt really weak so I stayed with the same weight I did last time on barbell rows. I wanted to increase my deadlift by 20 pounds each time I did them and I did increase it today but I only did 4 reps because it felt like I was going to strain my lower back. It was an ok workout overall but it could have been much better if my lower back was feeling better.
Close-Grip Pulldowns 130x15, 180x10
Barbell Rows 185x12, 225x10, 255x6, 255x8
Seated Cable Rows 250x10, 250x9, 250x8
Deadlifts 225x12, 315x8, 365x4
Incline Curls 40x12, 45x9, 45x8
Barbell Curls 95x10, 95x8
Cardio 15 minutes on the treadmill, 3.2 mph @ 8.0 incline, 132 bpm after exercise.
My diet today was a little lower in calories than yesterday. I kept the protein intake high and my carbs were under 230. Im surprised that I am able to lose bodyfat with my carbs up to 230 grams on my training days but it seems to be working. Here is what I ate today:
Meal 1 1 egg, 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 (Pre-Workout) 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 3 (During Workout) 1 serving Vassive EA8, 1 serving Vassive-NO
Meal 4 (Post Workout) 2 scoops 2:1:1 Recovery, 1 serving Vassive-CE
Meal 5 4.06 oz lean ground turkey, 128 grams sweet potato, 2.96 oz broccoli
Meal 6 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Egg Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 7 6 oz marinated salmon, 1 cup green beans
Meal 8 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein
Meal 9 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops of Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2832 calories with 313 grams of protein, 227 grams of carbohydrates and 57 grams of fats. This breaks down to 44% protein, 32% carbohydrates and 18% fats.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008
My weight today was 217 pounds and the waist was still down to 35 ¾. My waist has dropped a quarter of an inch each week so Im making good progress on losing the fat. Here is my weekly progress to date:
Beginning Week - 1/19/08 - Weight 229 - Waist 37"
Week One - 1/26 - Weight 218 - Waist 36 1/2" - Avg Cal. 2611 - Avg Carbs 213
Week Two - 2/2 - Weight 216.5 - Waist 36 1/4" - Avg Cal. 2619 - Avg Carbs 201
Week Three 2/9 Weight 217 Waist 36 Avg. Cal. 2654 Avg. Carbs 200
Week Four 2/16 Weight 217 Waist 35 ¾ Avg. Cal. 2737 Avg. Carbs 196
One interesting thing I noticed from recording my weekly progress is that the average carb intake has slightly dropped each week as Ive continued to lose fat. It went from 213 grams in week one to 201 grams in week two, 200 grams in week three and 196 grams in week four.
One very encouraging trend is that my bodyweight has stayed the same for the last three weeks while the waist has gone down. My weight was 218 at the end of week one, 216.5 after week two and 217 for the last two weeks. That tells me that I am maintaining and possibly even building muscle while I am losing fat. Great news!
Today was an off day from the gym so I kept the carbs very low but I still ate seven meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, three protein drinks and an additional meal). Here is exactly what I ate today:
Meal 1 2 x-large eggs, 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, ½ cup blueberries
Meal 2 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Whey Gold, 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Meal 3 4 oz lean ground turkey, 152 grams of sweet potato, 3.56 oz broccoli
Meal 4 Protein Drink consisting of 1 scoop Pro Complex, 1 scoop Casein Protein, 1 t. natural peanut butter
Meal 5 4 oz sirloin steak, 3 T. salsa, ½ cup green peas
Meal 6 8 egg whites, 2 T. salsa
Meal 7 Protein Drink consisting of 2 scoops Casein Protein, 1 T. flaxseed oil
Todays diet came out to 2585 calories with 296 grams of protein, 144 grams of carbs and 78 grams of fats.
The information contained in this article is not intended to be used for, or replace, the advice, medical diagnosis, or treatment of your doctor. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other licensed healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, diet, or exercise routine or when you have questions regarding any medical condition. Use of this article indicates that you expressly acknowledge and agree that Optimum Nutrition, Inc., its suppliers, licensees, and sub-licensees are not responsible for the results of your decision resulting from the use of this information including, but not limited to, your choosing to seek or not seek professional medical care based on the information contained in this article.
02/25/08
hey John, i was looking at your training log and noticed your cardio was at 3.2mph at a 8.0 incline..... i was wondering would this be better for fat burning than HIIT or a steady run at 6or 7 mph..... or do you use this method for other reason?
02/25/08
I think this is better for fat burning. When I use cardio, I am trying to lose fat but preserve the muscle tissue. I think HIIT cardio can burn muscle tissue so I don't use it. I prefer to lose fat by eating less calories and carbs and using cardio on a moderate basis.
02/26/08
Hey John, this is a very good and in depth diary you have going on here. I wanted to know how you decided what the colorie needs were for the training days and the days off. Also give me a run down of a typical workout cycle.
The reason I ask is that I have been trying to gain some muscle but more important get alot leaner. I love different insights and trying different things.
The reason I ask is that I have been trying to gain some muscle but more important get alot leaner. I love different insights and trying different things.

