Thread: the pony journal

Bushwick, but I don't work out around here. I go to Crunch.

Watching what I eat is easy, planning meals is hard. I usually just go with eggs because they're so easy. That kinda sucks, I know. Since I've been lifting heavier my appetite has come back a little, and now I have no choice but to plan. I put fat and muscle on very easily. I guess upping my cardio in addition to getting strict with my diet is the next project. As for todays workout I,ve upped a couple things:

Arnold - 20lbs
Incline press - BB plus 15lbs (60lbs)
Chest press - DBs 25lbs

This was very easy to do, and I'm thinking I should start pushing myself a little more. Tomorrow I will add a light leg workout to my back and bicep routine. I usually don't do legs because of all the spin I was taking, but like I said I'm going to push it this week.

Wanna explain what you mean when you say you put on muscle easily? I don't even know men who put muscle on easily.

I dunno man it just seems like I gain strength easily. I've always been able to up weight and adapt. Does that answer your question?

Not really. I'm interested to know how heavy some of your lifts have been - squat, deadlift, bench for instance - as well as how much lean mass you have gained and over what time frame. Also how you assessed your gains.

Just curious - I appreciate your humoring me.

I appreciate your input dude no prob. Ok so I can't answer you exactly, but I'm gonna try to give you an idea. I use my start date in the union 3 years ago. I joined @ 205lbs and I was wearing a size 38 pants snug. Now I'm 193 and wear size 14 (13 actually fits better). I've never used weights when I've done squats, nor have I done deadlifts. I can however push a full frame of sheetrock by myself. That's about 700 lbs. I can carry 3 wet 16ft 2x4s on my shoulder. You get the point, I've been working out at work. So I do know that last time I got my bodyfat measured it was 33% about 2 years ago and I'm trying to get it done again now. Benching I was using 15lb DBs in jan and I just added 15lbs to the BB this weekend for a total of 60lbs.

If you tell me the best way to find answers to your questions I will do it. Hopefully my jackass answer helped a little. It seems that since I've joined I've only lost 10 on the scale but it feels like 20 or 30. Most of my progress has been since january, I got real serious about cardio and my diet, quit drinking and smoking cigarettes. Now I'm just trying not to plateau.

Last night I did spin class with no extra lifting. Tonight there's an advance spin class called cycology that I'm going to try out, I might also do some lifting. I got this sweet leg workout that concentrates on the thighs and ass and I'm dying to try it out:

DB leg raises - 15 per leg
Sumo walk - 15 steps
Alternating side steps while holding a plank - 15-20 each side
Alternating DB lunges - 15 each leg
Sitting DB leg raises - 15 each side
Staggered lunges with knee raise - 15 each side
Hip raises with DB - 15 each side
Plank with alternating knee to opposite elbow - 15 each side

I'll let you know how this works out!

LOL - so you're strong at work, and you seem to work pretty hard, that's cool.

Can you describe your current diet? Maybe read the link in my sig on getting started to see what it is that I'm after here.

So this was my workout tonight:

Pull ups-
Standard OH - 3 sets 120/130/140 (weight assist) super slow 4-6
Neutral grip - 3 sets 120/130/140 4-6
neutral grip -160 10reps

Low row-
Narrow grip - 3 sets 100/90/80 8 reps
Wide grip - 3 sets 80/70/60 8 reps
Wide grip - 45lbs 15 reps

Pull downs-
Alternating lat pull downs - 3 sets 35 lbs 6-8 reps
Alt lat pull downs laying down - 3 sets 35/32.5/32.5 8 reps
Alt lat pull downs sitting - 20lbs 15 reps

Cable bicep curls w/twist - (non stop) 35/30/25/20 8 reps
30/25/20/15 8 reps
10 20 reps

Hammer curls - (both @ once) 20/15/12.5/10 8 reps

Side curls - 4 sets of 10 each arm non stop 10lbs

Legs-
DB leg raises 15lbs 15 reps per leg
Alternating side steps while holding a plank (holy fuckin burn) - 15 per leg
Alternating DB lunges - 8lb dbs 15 per leg
DB calf kick - 15lb DB 15 per leg
Hip raises with DB - 8lb 15 per side
Plank alternating knee to oposite elbow - 15 per side

I did the leg circuit twice, it was killer but this week is all about heart.

I never get sore when I do my biceps, but my arms were shaking a little. I'm walking funny from the leg routine. My back feels awesome.

Okay, cool, thanks for sharing that.

May I ask why you are doing such high volume while you are cutting?

I've been doing heavy cardio since jan without really lifting, so I changed it up. Usually I'll stick to a schedule and then take a week or two and go all out. So now I'm just pushing myself with the lifting instead of cardio. Its different, its fun. My bff also works out regularly so we push eachother to go hard. I think he's eating my dust this week . Its a good week. Usually my body starts getting used to a routine and I'll come and slap it across the face with a hard week.

I'm officially one belt notch smaller than I was last month.

Well that's cool. Have you read the link in my sig on getting started?

I've been calculating my calories @ fitday for the passed couple days. That's the link you were talking about right? I also read through the daredevils are shredded link. So with the calorie counter I can't always find info on my food (how many calories is in the assorted vegan hot bar @ wholefoods?? No one knows this...), so I'm just trying to eat things that I can input into the calculator. I should have some numbers for you next week. Also I've been eating more this week so I expect my numbers to drop when I'm not going as hard in the gym.

The link on getting started is the one I wanted you to read. Kindly go back and read that one? With regard to the assorted vegan hot bar, just ballpark and do your best - it'll be wrong, but consistent.

Don't worry about it Richard Gears. You're probably just having a stroke.

I've read that link, is there something in particular you think I should take note of?

Oh good, thank you for reading it.

Okay, what macros are you running?

Avgs-
Cal - 1,615
Fat - 61.8g
Carbs - 111.3g
Protein - 69.2g

Wow, only 69 grams of protein? Or is that a typo?

That's what the site says. I'm sure the number is higher, but with the foods I guessed, I only guessed calories.

Originally Posted by ThePonyPackage

That's what the site says. I'm sure the number is higher, but with the foods I guessed, I only guessed calories.

If you post on here what your eating until you get that squared away it would give us a better idea of what the split probably is.

Ok I'll just post my meals here. That site said I was burning almost 4k calories a day, yet I didn't post my workouts on it - does anyone know why that is? Also, how do you figure out the calories you're burning?

You don't figure the calories you're burning - you just track your intake and your weight.

Ok I'm back. its been rough around here the passed couple weeks, I haven't really been sticking to routine just working out when I can and eating as healthy as I can. This week I got back on track, steady with my diet and workouts. Sunday was back, bis and butt/thigh workout. Monday I took off, Tuesday was my spin, yesterday was my chest tris and shoulders. I made a couple changes:

Incline barbell chest is now @ 65 lbs, up from 60
Dumbell chest press is with 30's instead of 25's

I use 20's now for my arnold's, next week I'm going for 25's. I feel like I can work my shoulders harder than I have. I do a shoulder exercise I haven't found a name for, its like a 90 forearm raise. I put my arms out 90 degrees from my body and bend my elbows up another 90 like I'm surrendering and with the weights I pivot my arm so my wrist, elbow and shoulder are level and raise them back up. Ok so I've combined it with the rear lateral raise. It looks like this:

90 deg forearm raise - 8 reps
Rear lat raise - 6 reps
Rest

Its the last one I do and it burns.

Hmmm oh and today was spin again. I also got a body fat test done with the calipers today. I'm @ 22%.

I'm told I should focus on weight instead of bodyfat now because I still have chubb. I'm so broke, so specialty foods are out of the question. I usually like dairy alternatives, and prepared wheat gluten. I'm going to continue with my tuna, eggs and chicken routine until I have the cash to eat better.

Ps- finally got into those size 13s that have been sitting in my closet!

Congrats on the increases.

I don't mean to sound rude but there is no difference between "weight" and "bodyfat" expecially if your saying "I still have chubb"

Even without specialty foods, what your eating looks good. Can you post a normal day's meals. Sometimes taking a little from one meal to another can make a difference. Tuna, Eggs, and Chicken, and whey protein are pretty much all I eat as well.

Also include when you train in the food mealplan if you can.

most of all congrats on getting into the smaller clothes, that feels better than any number on any scale.

Thanks man! I'll get on that and post my routine.

So I guess the last time I updated this was a month ago. Everything has changed since then so let me fill you in. I started working again, but Im doing footings/foundation work. Anyone familiar with construction can vouch to the harshness of this work. Doka forms weigh a ton (crane lifted, not the carry forms), sometimes climbing those walls and those dirt mountains feels like fucking Cliffhanger in Brooklyn. Im getting used to it so Im heading back into the gym. Lets say for arguements sake, Im burning 3-4k calories a day at work. Ive been watching my meals, but Im too tired to cook, calorie counting has gone out the window, however I have lost more weight and I can see my strength increasing, and my muscles starting to define a little more so I know Im not in the red. The only major changes have been in what Im drinking and my first meal of the day. On hotter days I make sure to increase my salt intake (at first I wasnt doing this and almost passed out @ work) by chewing sunflower seeds. Basically I drink vitamin water and sometimes gatorade, and my first meal of the day is heavier than when I wasnt working. Heres a basic day:

6am bacon or turkey, eggs and cheese on a bagel, orange juice

945am med container (1 1/2 cans maybe?) of tuna salad, lg gatorade

12pm large slice of watermelon, vitamin water

230pm vitamin water

430pm baked chicken, rice and beans.

thats about all i eat, dinner varies, sometimes i need some vegan hot bar or a salad to break up the monotony. after work today i did a spin class, shoulders, chest and triceps

shoulders: military press 4 sets of 8 reps 22.5lb DBs
90 degree arm bends/db flys 4 sets of 8/6 reps 10 lbs

chest: incline press 4 sets of 8 reps 65 lbs
bb chest press 2 sets of 8 reps 70 lbs, 2 sets of 8 reps 65 lbs

triceps; pushdowns 4 sets of 8 @ 25lbs
then i do each arm individually raising the db from behind my head 4 sets of 8 reps @ 10lbs

on the last one, my left arm is clearly weaker than my right and I wind up having to lessen my reps after the 2nd set. if this isnt making sense its because im exhausted. I'll post again soon. hope you all had a great holiday weekend.