SteelXtreme

I wish to use this online journal to track my progress as a fat slob, to a thinner leaner me. I am currently 29 and weighing in at 258 and have been as high as 264 in the last couple of months. On my 6' frame you can guess what the belly looks like. I have found that my stomach and pecs are where i carry most of the unwanted weight. I have muscular arms and legs and my back has a great shape to it as well i just have those real problem areas that are hard to work off the extra inches.

After taking a few years off of weight training i have recently started back up. 5 weeks ago, a friend and i started training in the gym together. He plays semi-pro football, in fact on one of the teams i own. Two bad knees keep me from joining him on the field again. We have been hitting the weights 4 times a week and just this week have put some serious weight (for us) on and really pushed ourselves.

Please feel free to comment and offer advice as you wish...in fact, i am begging for it, any critique or comment you have is greatly appreciated.

Here is my current training split...

Mon - chest and calves, Cardio
Tue - Quads and Hams, Cardio
Wed - Cardio
Thur - Back and Biceps, Cardio
Friday - Shoulders and Triceps, Cardio
Saturday - Cardio
Sunday - Off

Diet...well that's a whole other story. I tried that Atkins way of life, lost almost 40 lbs., but put it right back on when i took a break to satify some cravings so i got real discouraged and didn't know how to convince myself to start again.

I only allow myself to eat carbs on 3 of the 7 days in a week. I usually try and stay low fat and try my best to stay away from the convient fast foods that got me to where i am now.

I know that with the proper diet and regular excercise that i will drop the weight quick, it has before, it is just hard to maintain.

SteelXtreme

Training today is Chest and Calves:

10 min. Cardio - bike, random hills, level 14

Flat Bench Dumbell Presses ~ 14@45/10@70/8@75/8@80
Standing Calve Raises ~ 20@185/20@215/20@245
Flat Bench Dumbell Flyes ~ 10@25/10@30/8@35
Seated Calve Raises ~ 20@90/16@160/16@210
Incline Dumbell Presses ~ 10@60/8@70/8@80
Leg Press Sled Calve Raises ~ 20@180/20@270/20@360
Cable Crossovers - 10@55/8@65/8@75

30min. Cardio - bike, random hills, level 14

Good day, felt great when i left the gym. I only wish i could do more with the bench area, but have to learn to be patient and it will come.

I have decided to layoff the bench presses with the barbell for a week or two. I am going to stay with the dumbells to try and work on the stabilizers, maybe that'll help me jump a little in weight.

Diet is a whole other issue, not eating well, not eating often enough. Serious guilt over that!

SteelXtreme

Training today is on Legs, both Hams and Quads:

Cardio - 10min. warmup on level 14 with random hills

Lying Leg Curls - 12@50/10@65/10@75/10@95
Seated Leg Extensions - 10@65/10@85/10@95
Romainion Deadlift - 10@95/10@115/10@165
Squats - 10@135/10@135/10@135

I don't like leg days. Both me and my partner are not happy with what we do on these days and really unsure of what to do for our legs. I have bad knees, he has tendonidous in his achilles on both legs.

I just feel uncomfortable with all leg excersises, there aren't any that i like. Both operations on both knees have left me very gun shy to working them too hard.

SteelXtreme

With clients in the office, not going to make it to the gym tonight, we'll see though. Hope for the best to do a little more cardio.

I was thinking that i might ad biceps to the legs night. That way i can get calves in on the night for back, get em twice in a week.

Thoughts on new split...

monday - chest and calves
tuesday - legs and bi's
wednesday - cardio
thursday - shoulders and tri's
friday - back and calves

just a thought though...

shortstuff

hey where in oregon are you????

Good things come to those who wait........

shortstuff

And welcome, I am sure you will get some great info here. And good luck I am sure you will do awesome, also try posting your diet up here too and people will be able to try and help with that also.

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

I am in Eugene, I have lived here for the last 4 years. Why?

shortstuff

I am up in portland, jut curious, not a lot of people from oregon on this. Actually there is another gal who is like 3 miles from me. So I thought I would chat and say hello.

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

Yes, it seems as though Oregon is always the forgotten state, afterall, aren't we just Northern California anyways? At least that is what i am told...
Thanks for the words of encouragement, i am sure i will need them all!

shortstuff

I know people never seem to know where oregon is, it cracks me up, unless you are on the west coast. Let alone portland, they always give me funny looks LOL

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

At least Portland is becoming a little more known, someday i am sure Eugene will be too, especially if the UofO Ducks ever have another good season in football.

shortstuff

hey what do you think of their new home uniforms?????? All I can say is they look like bananas, I love the helmets and loved last years uniform but this year is awful!!!!!

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

those yellow uni's are actually their away ones...the home uni's are ugly too though...

i really liked what they used to have, i thought we were the best looking team in the pac10, until they changed. I bet they change them again in a year or two.

shortstuff

i ghear they aren't going to wear them anymore after this week, which would be sweet.

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

That would be nice, i think if they got retired then we would all appreciate it greatly.
I have tickets to tomorrow's game, i am hoping that the home uni's are the same ones they showed on TV a month ago, just green, a dark green too.

shortstuff

Well then I will be looking for you, we have family season tickets but I have plans already tomorrow so I am going to be watching the game here and then watching the Miami, Florida game. Also am going to the pre-juding of the Northwest Championships. So yeah you better cheer for me and tell me honestly how fife does if he gets put in.

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

are you a Fife fan?

I think Clemens is going to be a great QB for us, if not this year, then the next.

SteelXtreme

Thursday

Training Split (supposed to be) Back and Bi's

Instead, i played 18 holes of golf with the clients. It was a great course that i haven't played well on in a long time. Lots of hills and we played at a fast pace so i know i got a good work out on my calves and legs. My back got tight by the end and I wish i had a little more stamina so i could keep hitting those monster shots till the end.

Today, Friday, i WILL make it to the gym and give it my all on shoulders and triceps. I am also going to get up early and hit the gym tomorrow before the ducks game.

shortstuff

I am not a huge fife fan at all, after watching him blow it so many times last year. I think clemens will be great also. I miss Joey though But watch out for number 7 he is a buddy of mine from high school, he is defense and special teams.

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

We have also picked up Brady Leaf, he is a freshman, i think he is Ryan's younger brother. he broke all kinds of high school records in football and in the javelen (sp?) throw. So you know he has a strong arm.
I'll keep an eye out for that number 7...let you know of his high lights!

shortstuff

thanks good we need to start growing good QB's young, not their senior year

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

This will actually be my first ducks game that i have attended. You drive down for the games?

shortstuff

yeah I think i will go down to the next game I love the games!!!!!

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

I have been to many pro games, they are very slow paced, with all the TV timeouts, so i am excited to see the Ducks game. I hope it is faster.
I coach football at the Jr. High level (7th Grade), a Jr. Pee Wee Pop Warner team (7-9 yr. olds) and a spring league semi pro football team (that i own too) and can't get enough football.
The kids are the best though, they are playing for the love of the game and thats all. It is amazing to watch a kid go from being athletically challenged at the start of the year to a good player by the end of the year. with all that coaching, i would say the jr. pee wee is my favorite, they are a blast and make me laugh all the time!

shortstuff

Oh that is so cool, that your normal job also??? Just curious what jobwise there is in Eugene, where does your semi pro tema play usually??? I may have to watch sometmie, plus I love the little kids too, that is why i love college versus pro, college still loves the Game!!!

Good things come to those who wait........

SteelXtreme

Friday

Training today is on shoulders and triceps:

Cardio - 10min. warmup on level 14 with random hills

Seated Dumbell Military Presses - 12@45/10@55/8@65/8@70
Dumbell Shrugs - 12@70/12@80/12@90
Seated Arnold Presses - 10@35/10@45/10@55
Standing Barbell Cleans - 10@95/8@115/8@135
Seated Single Dumbell Extension (Behind the head) - 10@75/10@85/10@95
Cable Pressdowns - 10@85/10@115/10@135

I like this day, i can do a lot with my triceps and i really like how exhausted the cleans leave me feeling. I really like this day.

SteelXtreme

Monday Morning...

Not too good a weekend. Didn't make it to the gym, had the ducks game and house hunting on Saturday and then pop warner football on Sunday with also visiting with my father in law on his last day up here. Really need to make this a heavy lifting weeek, need that feeling of good work done every night!

naturalguy

Just a bit of advice, you don't need to cut carbs completely, when used intelligently they can be a powerful tool. You saw first hand what happened after your atkins experiment, don't worry it happens to everyone on it.

www.animalpak.com

www.universalnutrition.com

SteelXtreme

thanks naturalguy...

i now know that i need them. on the days that i didn't eat any i had a harder time at the gym getting the intensity levels up.

SteelXtreme

Monday

Chest and Calves

10min, random hills at level 14 on bike for warm up

Flat Bench Max - 10@135/6@185/2@205
Standing Calve Raises - 20@215/20@260/20@300?
Incline Dumbell Presses - 10@65/8@70/8@75
Seated Calve Raises - 20@70/20@120/18@150
Flat Bench Dumbell Flyes - 10@30/8@35/6@40
Leg Press Calve Raises - 20@225/20@405/20@585
Cable Crossovers - 10@60/8@80/6@90
Pec Deck - 10@55/10@65?/10@75?

Very frustrating night. I really wanted to be able to do 225, at least two or three times. I have been in the gym for 5 weeks now and have gone up in flyes, in triceps and all shoulder excercises. My pecs look larger.
I was struglging with 185 two weeks ago so i guess the fact that i threw the few i did at that weight up quickly is an improvement, just not what i was hoping for.

I am pleased with my overall improvement though. My knees are able to carry more weight so i am flirting with the possiblility of doing squats again, we'll see though.