The 42 pound weight loss challenge

[dxiw]

Preface: I used to powerlift in high school and was 220 at about 15% bodyfat when I stopped. I went to college, spent 4 years drinking beer and eating pizza, and became 240 at about 20-25% bodyfat.

Goal:I would like to reach 198lb at an ideal bodyfat of 8-10%. My timeline is flexible, but my goal is pretty firm. After I reach 198, I want to switch my diet to maintenance and focus on strength so that towards the summer I can enter a PL meet in the 198 class.

Workout: I'm using the updated WBB routine, which is 2 days on/1 day off. I'm not posting workout details in this journal as it is diet centric. The workout can be found at http://www.wannabebig.com/article.php?articleid=314. I modified the routine in that the first 2day workout is compound exercise focused, and the second is isolation focused. That is on Fridays, I replaced all exercises with three types of curls, extensions and raises to target biceps, triceps and delts in isolation. This is not really for power but more to ensure symmetry and attention to detail (making sure I'm hitting all the different little muscles properly)..

The 42 pound weight loss challenge

The Plan:
8-10 weeks of Liquid Diet at 1000-1500kcal deficit
2-3 weeks of slowly replacing shakes with real food and building calories upto maintenance

Liquid Diet
9AM Meal 1:
Workout Day: 3 scoops Opticen, 2 cups milk, multivitamin, 1 cup coffee, 1tb flax seed oil
Rest Day: 2 scoops Opticen, (same)
12PM Meal 2:
Workout Day: 2 scoops Nitrean, handful broccoli, 1tb flax seed oil
Rest Day: 2 scoops Nitrean, handful broccoli, 1tb flax seed oil
3PM Meal 3:
Workout Day: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1tb flax seed oil
Rest Day: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1tb flax seed oil
6PM Meal 4:
Workout Day: 3 scoops Opticen
Rest Day: 2 scoops Nitrean, handful of carrots
9PM Meal 5:
Workout Day: Medium Avocado or ½ cup nuts
Rest Day: Medium Avocado or ½ cup nuts
12AM Meal 6:
Workout Day: 2 scoops of Nitrean
Rest Day: 1 scoop of Nitrean
Fluids:
Workout Day: 1.5-2 Gallon Water/Green Tea
Rest Day: 1-1.5 Gallon Water/Green Tea
Total:
Workout Day: 2100-2300 calories, approx: 80g fat 90g carbohydrate 265g protein
Rest Day: 1800-2000 calories, approx: 75g fat 65g carbohydrate 225g protein


Chapter 1: The Warm-up

Monday, 01/07/08, 240.0lb
Seaweed salad, whey shake, also ate a chicken Caesar salad with some diet green tea and a yogurt for lunch, snacked with a banana, carrots and an apple. A couple sips of Coca-Cola (very bad!!!)

Tuesday, 01/08/08, 237.1lb
Carrots, some guacamole, protein shake x3, spinach/turkey/swiss wrap, chicken sandwich, small greek salad, vitamin, 1 beer, 1 laverdes wrap chix bbq, 400mg ibuprofen (soreness in legs was brutal today). 1 beer before bed.

Wednesday, 01/09/08, 235.4lb
Small breakfast burrito with sausage and a touch of rice/beans, 1 piece of gefilte fish with some chopped beats, wheat wrap with chicken, lettuce and tomato, diet root beer, 3 cups of tea and a cup of coffee, laverdes chix parm wrap, nitrean shake before bed .
All of my new supplements arrived today. Tomorrow the fun begins!

Chapter 2: The Fun Part


Thursday, 01/10/08, 234.4lb
11AM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups fat-free milk, 1 cup coffee, 1 vitamin, 1tb flax;
1:30PM: 3 scoops of Opticen in water
4:00PM: 3 scoops of Opticen in water w/2tb flax
6:45PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean in water
8:30PM: ½ cup cashews; 3 slices of herb turkey
12:00AM: a few carrots (to kill hunger , 1 scoop of Nitrean
2270kcal 78g fat 124g carbohydrate 268g protein

Friday, 01/11/08, 231.4lb
10:45AM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups fat-free milk, 1 cup coffee, 1 vitamin, 1tb flax
1:45PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax
3:00PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax
5:45PM: 3 scoops of Opticen, some carrots
8:00PM: ½ cup cashews, 1 red bull sugar free (big mistake – got insanely hungry after this)
11:00PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean
2227kcal 79g fat 105g carbohydrate 274g protein

Saturday, 01/12/08, 229.8lb
12:30PM: 2 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups fat-free milk, 1 cup coffee, 1 vitamin, 1tb flax
2:30 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax
4:45 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax, handful of broccoli
7:00 PM: 1 scoop of Nitrean, ½ med avocado, 3 thin slices of herb turkey (deli)
9:30 PM: 1 package of salmon (bad choice=>high sodium), ¼ cup cashews
11:00 PM: 1 scoop of Nitrean
1977kcal 81g fat 68g carbohydrate 244g protein

[dxiw]

Sunday, 01/13/08, 230.0lb
Eh, looking a little puffy and the weight increase probably from that damn high sodium salmon crap I ate last night.. boo

Today I finally got my scale so I could measure foods accurately (for example, nuts down to the gram as opposed to in a cup). I estimate that my previous calorie counts may have been 10-50 kcal off or so. Today’s weights will be dead on.

9:00 AM: 2 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups fat-free milk, 1 cup coffee, 1 vitamin, 1tb flax
12:15 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax
3:30 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax, handful of broccoli
6:00 PM: 8oz of Roasted Turkey, handful of carrots dipped in 12g of guacamole
8:00 PM: 35 grams of cashews, 3 grams of peanuts
11:00 PM: 1 scoop of Nitrean in water
2021.9kcal 82.5g fat 70.2g carbohydrate 249.5g protein

[borracho]

GL with the goal buddy...I wish I had the dedication to go on a liquid diet as I am sure I would get to where I want much quicker, but, I guess what ever works

[dxiw]

I'm going to test a modified workout day diet.. more carbs in the morning, more fat at night, protein more constant, and better kills my night hunger. Also the carb and protein cycling throughout the week should help with metabolism not getting too adjusted and energy levels.

Monday / Thursday
Meal 1: 3 scoops Opticen, 1tb flax, 2 cups milk
Meal 2: 2 scoops Nitrean, carrots, broccoli
Meal 3: 2 scoops Nitrean, carrots
Meal 4: 3 scoops Opticen
Meal 5: 1 avocado, 1oz peanuts, 4oz turkey
Meal 6: 1 scoop Nitrean, 1oz cashews
2273.7kcal 77.7g fat 102g carb 291.7g protein

I figured since its brutal leg day I will up the protein and water intake a bit...

Also, for off days, I figured we can drop the cals some and eliminate the PW meal:

Wednesday / Saturday / Sunday
Meal 1: 2 scoops Opticen, 1tb flax, 1 cup milk
Meal 2: 2 scoops Nitrean, carrots, broccoli, 1tb flax
Meal 3: 2 scoops Nitrean, carrots, 1tb flax
Meal 4: 1oz peanuts, 4oz turkey
Meal 5: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1oz cashews
1883kcal 79.5g fat 58.7f carb 233.3g protein

Tuesday / Friday
Meal 1: 3 scoops Opticen, 2 cups milk, 1tb flax
Meal 2: 2 scoops Nitrean, handful broccoli, 1tb flax
Meal 3: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1tb flax
Meal 4: 3 scoops Opticen
Meal 5: Medium Avocado
Meal 6: 2 scoops of Nitrean
2143.1kcal 76.4g fat 95.0g carb 267.0g protein

[Killa Kurt]

If anyone starts a 42 lb weight gain challenge, i'll enter that. Goodluck.

[dxiw]

haha soon enough =D

[dxiw]

Monday, 01/14/08, 229.4lb

I think I got a mild cold from one of my friends, my sinuses are all blocked up and I have a headache. I took some decongestant and Tylenol, feeling a lot better. I couldn’t sleep much though, it’s now 7:00 AM.

Bought some Zinc/B-6, Vitamin C and Glutamine today.

7:30 AM: 1 multivitamin, 1 cup of coffee, 500mg vitamin c
9:15 AM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 1tb flax, 2 cups milk
11:45 AM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, handful of carrots
2:30 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 500mg Vitamin C w/ 300mg Echinacea
7:45 PM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 2g glutamine
9:00 PM: 1 avocado, 1oz peanuts, 4oz turkey
10:30 PM: 1 scoop of Nitrean, cashews, 2g glutamine, zinc/B6 dose

As a side note, I did squat 275x6 ATF today...

[dxiw]

Update: Diagnosed with pneumonia, taking meds, no more lifting this week... will continue to log bodyweight.. lost appetite

[dxiw]

Feeling better today (prob the meds)... going to follow the diet.. update to be posted later today

[dxiw]

Tuesday, 01/15/08, 228.1lb

I’m feeling very sick this morning. I’m going to drink a lot of water and not lift…

8:30 AM: 1 multivitamin, 1 cup of coffee, 500mg vitamin c
10:00 AM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 1tb flax, 2 cups milk
2:30 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax, handful of carrots
9:00 PM: Sub Sandwich with turkey, swiss and spinach
11:00 PM: ½ chicken wrap with lettuce, tomato, mushroom

[dxiw]

Wednesday, 01/16/08, 227.9lb

I think I either have a bad cold or walking pneumonia (two of my friends have it and we live together)… No lifting today either. I tried to be more strict today. I started on antibiotics and I’m feeling a lot better. My ETS shipment also got in today and I picked up some Thermoburst at GNC for what it’s worth.

Here’s today diet (I’m dropping the times, just doing meal 1,2,3..etc):

Meal 1: 3 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups of Milk, 1tb flax, 1 multivitamin, 1 cup of coffee, 1 500mg vitamin C
Meal 2: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax
Meal 3: 1 IsoPure bottled drink (0f/0c/40p)
Meal 4: ½ wrap with chicken, lettuce, mushroom, tomato
Meal 5: 1 wrap with turkey, tomato, spinach, mushroom

I would also like to implement the following supplement schedule:

Morning: multivitamin, ThermoBurst (1 pill), ETS, 500mg Vit C (just while sick)
Pre-Workout: ThermoBurst
Bedtime: ETS, fish Oil Caps

[dxiw]

Thursday, 01/17/08, 227.6lb

Morning: Cup of coffee, vitamin C supplement, multivitamin, chicken wrap with spinach, mushroom, tomato
Lunch: 3 scoops of Opticen in 2 cups milk, 1tb flax
Snack: slice of fiber bread
Dinner: Low-carb wrap with turkey, sautéed mushroom and tomato
Late night snack: chamomile milk tea, slice of fiber bread (1g net carb, 4 calories), Nitrean shake

[dxiw]

Friday, 01/18/08, 226.4lb


Still feeling like ****. My body looks deflated in the mirror. I desperately want to hit the gym but can’t. Even walking up a flight on stairs is taxing.

1:30 PM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups milk, 2 cups coffee, 1 multivitamin, 500 Vitamin C with Echinacea
3:00 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean
7:00 PM: Thai restaurant -> no carbs, just ordered a huge plate of lean meat (I’d say 100-130 grams protein)
2:00 AM: 2 scoop of Nitrean, 30mg Zinc, 2 cups Chamomile milk tea

[dxiw]

Saturday, 01/19/08, 224.7lb

So today I am two weeks in. It looks like I’ve lost 15.3 pounds to date. I’m sure a lot of that is water and some is muscle from being sick, but hey, I’m looking a lot better in the mirror (still pretty deflated). Also, for the nonbelievers (it is a lot of weight in a short period of time), these two weeks are the first time I have hit the gym in months/years and eaten responsibly - I was eating mcdonalds, wendys, pizza, takeout chinese multiple times a day every day before. I think the simple reduction in salt lowered me 5lb of water weight.

Today I’m going to attempt to get the diet perfect as I’m starting to feel better…(still sick though and I have 1 more day on my antibiotic, hopefully I can hit the gym on Monday). Played the new Call of Duty all night last night, just woke up at 2:30 PM.. I’m feeling completely out of track. *slaps self in face*
3:00 PM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups milk, 2 cups coffee, 1 multivitamin, 500mg Vit C w/Echinacea

[WBBIRL]

Thats a ton of weight to drop in 12 days, but your right up to 10 pounds of it could be water and a little bit of muscle.

You've got it going nicely, diet looks good just hit the weights and stay consistent.

[dxiw]

Sunday, 01/20/08, 224.3lb

10:00 AM: 1 chicken/swiss wrap, 1 cup coffee, 1 multivitamin, 500mg vitamin C
1:30 PM: 2 scoops of Opticen, 2 cups milk, 2 tbsp flax (accidently overpoured.. a lot lol)
5:30 PM: 2 sticks of chicken teriyaki, 2 breaded chicken breasts, 1 wonton soup (chinese restaurant)
11:00 PM: 1 breaded chicken breast (leftovers)
1:00 AM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, chamomile tea
All I’m going to say is “****.. I really cheated today.” Tomorrow I’m going to kick myself in the balls everytime I even consider anything but Nitrean lol.

[dxiw]

Monday, 01/21/08, ?

Went snowboarding all day today. Feeling a lot better, not really sick anymore. Had a morning Opticen shake and then two wrap for dinner.. eh diet sucked AGAIN!!! ****!!!!

[dxiw]

Tuesday, 01/22/08, 224.8lb

Today I’m going to be strict. I’m really tired of being a fat piece of ****. No more cheating.. argh.

Did a good compound upper body workout today (bench press BB&DB, rows BB&DB, pulldowns, military press DB&BB, flies, shrugs, cable rows)… strength felt really weak (bench best set was 250x2, blah), but I got a nice pump and it felt great to be back in the gym.

11:45 AM: 3 scoops of Opticen, 1tb flax, 2 cups milk, 1 cup coffee, 1xmulti, 4xETS, 2xThermoburst
2:45 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1tb flax
5:00 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean in VitaWater (diet),2xThermoburst
8:00 PM (post workout): 3 scoops of Opticen, 2g glutamine
10:00 PM: 3 slices of turkey in a low-carb pita with some spinach, tomato and Dijon mustard
12:00 AM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 2oz peanuts, 4xETS

I don’t really think these Thermoburst pills do anything.. I took 4 today in total and feel less energetic than normal lol. I found some Hydroxycut I had from a while back, I’m going to start taking that regularly instead…

[WBBIRL]

Don't sweat the small slip ups, you'll end up failing if you do. Your making good progress, if you do things right 80% of the time the other 20% doesn't matter.

Pace yourself and stay smart.

[dxiw]

Wednesday, 01/23/08, 225.1lb

I woke up feeling great today. I am a little sore, but not nearly as bad as normal (yay, ETS is working!). I am a little heavier on the scale today, but for the first time since I got sick, my muscles look really full and not deflated. I actually look a lot leaner in the mirror too. I think that while I was sick I was dehydrated and my muscles were in a catabolic state, now I am back in an anabolic state.

Wow, and boy did I have surprise today! As far as I know, 1 Tbsp of oil is 14g, well when I got out my scale I had been using a “tablespoon” that was only 5g. So my fat intake until now has been probably half of what I thought it was. No wonder I was losing so much mass, I probably was eating 1400-1600 kcal / day. Starting today I’m measuring the oil to the proper weight.

11:45 AM: 0.75 scoop Opticen (ran out!!), 2 scoops Nitrean, 2 cups milk, 4xETS, 1xmulti,2xhydroxycut, 14g flax oil
3:55 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 2xhydroxycut, 14g flax
5:30 PM: CARDIO WORKOUT: 35 min, 1 mile fast run + 4 [0.25mi run + 0.25mi walk] intervals => 3 miles total
6:20 PM: 3 slices of turkey in a low-carb pita with some spinach, tomato and Dijon mustard
9:00 PM: wrap with turkey, spinach, tomato and mushroom; plate of steamed broccoli and carrots
11:00 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 14g flax

2098.26kcal 73.9g fat 92.3g carb 266.0g protein

I also bought an Inzer bench shirt today..

[WBBIRL]

Any reason for the flax oil over straight up fish oils?

[dxiw]

Very similar Omega-3 content, but much better taste.

[dxiw]

I decided that I would like to make the diet cyclically ketogenic to see if it helps. Basically, keep the same structure for Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed, and then make Thur/Fri/Sat ketogenic (lower the carbs to 10-30 grams). I plan to do this by removing opticen and veggies on those days..

[dxiw]

My updated diet will look like this:

Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday
Meal 1: 3 scoops Opticen, 1tb flax, 2 cups milk
Meal 2: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1tb flax
Meal 3: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1 serving of nuts
Post Workout: 3 scoops Opticen
Meal 5: Wrap/pita with turkey+veggies, 1 serving of nuts
Meal 6: 1 scoop Nitrean, 1tb flax
2182.58 83.86 101.98 254.98


Thursday / Friday / Saturday
Meal 1: 3 scoops Nitrean, 1tb flax
Meal 2: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1tb flax
Meal 3: 2 scoops Nitrean, 1tb flax
Post workout: 2 scoops Nitrean
Meal 5: Wrap/pita with turkey+veggies, 1 serving of nuts
Meal 6: 1 scoop of Nitrean
1883.5 71.5 38 272


Sunday - cardio
Monday - lifting, compound upper body, low reps heavy weight
Tuesday - lifting, compound lower body, low reps heavy weight
Wednesday - cardio
Thursday - lifting, isolation lower body, higher reps low weight
Friday - lifting, isolation upper body, higher reps low weight
Saturday - REST

[dxiw]

Thursday, 01/24/08, 225.1lb

Woke up feeling pretty good. Soreness is a lot better than usual. I am a little disappointed to not see any loss from yesterday in weight. However, looking in the mirror, I am starting to see noticeable decreases in my waistline and my arms/shoulders/chest are starting to look better. I think I may be going through a “recomposition” haha. Today is the first day of my ketogenic part of the week. Let’s see how it goes.

10:00 AM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 14g flax, 4xETS, 2xHydroxycut, 1xmulti
5:00 PM: 3 scoops of Nitrean, 14g flax, 2xHydroxycut
7:00 PM: 3 slices of turkey in a low-carb pita with some spinach, tomato and Dijon mustard
8:30 PM: 2 scoops of Nitrean, 14g flax
11:00 PM (post workout): 2 scoops of Nitrean, 1oz cashews
1773.5kcal 69.5g fat 41g carb 246g protein

Workout (not showing progressive warm-up sets, really emphasized form today…):
Deadlift 4x10,4,1,8 @ 225,315,365,275
Good Mornings 3x8 @ 95
Leg Extensions 3x8 @ 260
Leg Curl 3x8 @ 140,180,200
Calf Raise 2x8,10 @ 300

Did a little bit of posing in the gym, looking a LOT more cut than day 1. I am seeing 4 abs when I flex and good vascularity in the arms on the deadlifts..