Chapter Two [Autumn]; Session 11 - 110914 - 112214

Session XI:   110914 – 112214 – This session will take us to the end of the 90 day Make-over. Also as the weather gets colder, we wonder if the winter fat will come. Thanksgiving and all that holiday stuff(ing). I’m thinking after this ends, AM Yoga – as basic as I can get it, with thoracic flex work and plange stuff and deep close to the ground work, and when I lift, go heavy with small reps – maybe negatives if I can find a partner – and body weight stuff. I wonder how wise it is to go every other week. Heavy weights then body weight type Spa Day stuff. Need to get the confidence up to get handstand pushups against the wall, and stuff I was doing in 2011. Got to try and incorporate 2 or 3 different protocols into a single ‘regimen’ – and watch what happens. I want more beef & less fat. On to #11

110914 [Sunday #144] – waning Gibbous in Gemini – Ha, laughed at the idea of being up @ 0400 today. Too cold and no reason. Slept til 0700.

31 cardio – with weights, still feel them. 2x ankle weights last half.

184.4 – 16.8 – 60.9 – 43.2 – good, well okay numbers. I want more, but they are going in the proper direction.

Training with Naila @ Clark Park, funny how my body… well, how I take us where I’ve been wanting to go. Evening balance and strength stuff. No proper routine, but; seated elevation, lunge stretch, plange, 2 pt planks etc. [vid]. These take a lot out of me.

111014 [Monday #145] – waning Gibbous in Cancer – After 3 days of sleeping in, I get up, nonchalantly with the alarm. Sleep was pretty good. There were dreams, but I don’t quite remember them. I wake and listen for the music and try to figure out what time it is. I shouldn’t do this. Thinking keeps me from sleeping. I ate a lot of food yesterday – a lot of pork strips cut like bacon [but not bacon] and made cauliflower soup that was supposed to be mashed potatoes.

Phase I: before the cardio. 31 minutes cardio with the fives + 1x ank wts in the second half. Still feel the weight, but it’s feeling lighter. Standing leg raise (rear) is getting better – balance increasing. Two point planks with ank wts getting better. More & more core work. I should restart the thousand crunch days now that the fat content is lower and stay with balance work.

Lentils & TCB for breakfast and tea. Phase II @ the gig.. early.

Phase IV – very strong YGX – 75% participation, cycling was pretty good, but sore after, no stretch when I got home – no need for dinner, some trail mix in bed at 2230.

111114 [Tuesday #146] – waning Gibbous in Cancer – I just get up now – weak, strong, whatever. It’s routine, that both positive and negative – no wonder I’m on a plateau. 31 cardio – decided to use the weights, getting better at jumping with them (5 lbs)

185.4 – 17.6 – 60.3 – 42.8 – after shower. Didn’t get a good reading after the workout.

Had a big breakfast yesterday and a bagel to delay the turkey salad (normal) lunch. I think my metabolism is on a 2 day delay. So what I ate/did Sunday is reflected today.

Phase I – before work.

Day 80. Getting close to the end. Workouts include opening the thoracic zone, which will be a big part of the yoga part.

Phases II & III @ the gig. Chill day at work, some recovery and ready to rock Temple. Question? Add weights to the cardio of hold off? Maybe – will look at the audience.

Cardio sculpt was amazing. I hope the crew thought so. We added weights at the second round of cardio and then bands, and that made a huge difference. I think this group likes working with dumbbells.

Ultra chilled and tired when I got home. Did some stretches, I think but not enough to mention, although I just mentioned them.

111214 [Wednesday #147] – waning Gibbous in Cancer – wake… normal. A little bit sore.. slept quite well, not many, if any interruptions.

31 cardio – it was a rough one. Still worked with the 5s – energy wasn’t as high as usual. Still got through it. 9 more days.

186.8 – 19.2 – 59.1 – 42 – Wow! Wonder where this came from. Hint, look back two days… or maybe 3. A lot of eating done on Sunday, or is it the moon?

Veggie burgers & cheese for breakfast. Level One completed.

I wonder if the bagels I had the last two days have anything to do with the weight gain.. or is it just muscle. Scale says it’s fat (actually lack of hydro.)

Aqua Box was good… Can’t remember what I did this night, if anything.

111314 [Thursday #148] – waning Gibbous in Leo – Good sleep. I may have the playlist set up most efficiently. I don’t think I woke up til the alarm – then I triple snoozed because I have a 9-4 training today.

31 cardio with the fives and burpees and mt. climbers – added the 2x ankle wts. 7 worked standing and lying leg curls, standing butt raises and upper thigh raises. Upper-upper feels jacked!! Too dry to get a read so weigh in was post shower.

186.8 – 18.6 – 59.5 – 42.3 – close to 187 lbs from 184.4 wondering how this happened. Muscle? Upper body certainly looks more cut and wider.  Better to focus on the look.

Cooked breakfast with butter this morning, pork spinach, egg whites, shrooms & onions.

Didn’ lift last night. I did work on pistols by pushing myself off of a milk crate with one leg. Balance & strength.

30 Minutes @ the YMCA

Db incline press – 50s – 4 sets really felt the chest on the last set.

Leg extensions 4 – 5 sets, drop reps: progresses to just under 245 lbs. [cable machine]

One hand stand and a pushup attempt. Shoulders hold.

Cable cross one set @ 40 lbs, 3 @ 50s.

Leg curls – progressive. The hammies have gained strength. I rocked 195, 3 reps, got a full squeeze.. after 4 sets before. Yeah! Progress.

8 neutral grip pull ups.

DONE! Kind of forces, but satisfying.

Bean stew for dinner, w/cheese and pork, shrooms. Good. Time to make more beans.

111414 [Friday #149] – Last quarter Leo – sleep gets better and better. No dreams that I can remember. Woke by the alarm and hit snooze. Did the cardio with the idea of not going hard… and I didn’t. still used the fives and the 2x ankle wts. Did the whole 31 minutes wondering if I should hit temple this afternoon – if Naila cancels or postpones.

187.8 – 18.2 – 59.8 – 42.5 – Up 3.5 lbs in the last 8 days and wondering why. Not mad about it. the numbers are off a bit from the last week, but are adjusting. This gets me close to 80 lbs of muscle, but also 34 lbs. of fat. This is interesting. I’m wondering how to analyze this.

Level One: strange day – working a double so no Temple.

Been a strange day, normal lunch, lighter than usual. On overtime – so another Friday not at Temple. Might go during study weeks. I’ll be up past my bed time, but I got new resistance bands… I can train at work, like old times.

Level III: not keeping track. Things are normal.

My tens showed up @ work – sooo, arm work @ the gig in the eve. Finished on Level V before bed.

111514 [Saturday #150] – Last quarter Virgo – Wake up, catch the morning sun. after OT – got 8 hrs sleep. (after silencing the alarm) & did 61 minutes; first 30 eat sweat protocol. First round, no weights, next round with fives. Worked on the red tube and 2x ankle weights for legs. Stretch – done… leg curls of course & flat leg raise. Flat front straight arm raises & thoracic flex work.

186.8 – 17.1 – 60.6 – 43.1 – The numbers are better. Maybe the last week was a correction or transition. This is the end of week 12, day 84… 13 weeks = 91 days, as does 3 months (depending on the months.)

Day	Sunday 11-09	Monday 11-10	Tuesday 11-11	Wednesday 11-12	Thursday 11-13	Friday 11-14	Saturday 11-15	Ave.
Weight	184.4	185.4	185.4	186.8	186.8	187.8	186.8	186.2
Body Fat	16.8	20	17.6	19.2	18.6	18.2	17.1	18.2
H2O	60.9	58.5	60.3	59.1	59.5	59.8	60.6	59.8
Muscle mass	43.2	41.6	42.8	42	42.3	42.5	43.1	42.5

Actual weight of Body Fat/H2O/Muscle Mass – weekly average 2014

Date	Body fat	H2O	MMass
9-06	34.3	111.2	79.1
9-13	34.5	110.7	78.4
9-20	33.4	112	79
9-27	33	112.2	79.6
10-04	34.3	111.1	79
10-11	33.6	110.3	79.4
10-18	32.8	110.7	78.8
10-25	32.6	111.5	79.2
11-01	32.2	111.6	79.2
11-08	31.7	111.6	79.3
11-15	33.8	111.3	79.1
Ave	33.3	111.3	79.1

111614 [Sunday #151] – waning crescent Virgo – Slept late but slept weird. The soundtrack wasn’t set up right. Had to get up and make changes. The body was sore lat night, but better by wake-up.

31 cardio – felt strong; used the fives on second round 7 shadow boxing, they felt lighter. Definitely stronger using them.

186.8 – 17.4 – 60.4 – 42.9 – ate out 2x last nigt. Drank lots of tea. Late concert same wt numbers going ‘back’.

30 Minutes YMCA

Incline barbell press: hi-low, start with 140 lbs… hard! Dropped to 100 lbs rocked 10, back up to 130 – decent set – down to 70 and back to 140 for 3? Maybe.

Front squats 140 lbs – 3 x 5 x 6 – I am going to be hitting this hard in December.

Seated bent flies – 25s 3 x 12

Wide grip pull ups 3 x 6 left shoulder is visibly out – compensation issue.

Straight arm pull downs 90 – 100 3 x 10s

Tube work, cross flies are tough!!

White dog with Medusa – hella good shrimp salad. Nice hostess, early evening.

111714 [Monday #152] – waning crescent Virgo – the wake up ritual is normal to the point of not even mentioning it. 31 cardio – everything was based on being upright and using weights zero weights first round, 5 lbs next then 8 lbs for the third round. I can really feel the difference.

Weigh in: 186.8 – 17.5 – 60.3 – 42.9 – only a slight variance from yesterday, which was happily a bust day –despite the weather. .. it’s fall.

3 levels; solid work at the y – both classes. Body is sore. Pork, egg whites & stuff for dinner.

111814 [Tuesday #153] – waning crescent Libra – it wasn’t so much a leg cramp – or maybe it was. Lateral shin/calf, right leg was tight and woke me up, well before the alarm. I need to drink more water. It was cold and windy, but the space heater kept the room warm. Holding out on the heat till after Thanksgiving.

186.8  18.6 – 59.5 – 42.3 – an interesting twist to this 90 adventure is the weight gain towards the end. [Chart]. Bean, pork soup for breakfast and trail mix at the gig. Legs are sore from all the jumping. Temple-double today.

111914 [Wednesday #154] – waning crescent Libra – Woke with alarm + snooze. Good sleep. Bizarro dreams f. Tony I. we were fugitives or spies and someone was trying to kill “us” – actually him, but I was helping him out, so I suppose I became a target too. I was speaking Spanish in this dream. Anyway, slight headache, but didn’t keep me from morning cardio. 31 minutes w/ weights and 2x ankle wts.

185.8 – 18 – 60 – 42.6 – after shower. Decided to compare the same 90 day period from last year to see how different this season is. [chart]

Level I: bean soup for bkft – headache persists – only it’s not really a headache – more vitamin c (this headache was centered between the eye, upper nose, made me think it was sinus related.)

I’ve been swinging the body bar before classes at both the Y and Temple. My obliques don’t ache as much when I do this regularly.

Good Aqua Box – chilled at home, pick up some stuff, coconut oil finally. Looking into this [neo?]ketogenic eating…. An updated Atkins or Paleo diet. Veggie patti & cheese before bed. I may have to start counting calories again for a while and adding more saturated fat? Into my diet? Yikes!! Better work.

112014 [Thursday #155] – waning crescent Scorpio – Got up – Day 89. 31 cardio, not as thrilled – body is tired, but probably more of the mind. The last two days are very different from the first two.

186.5 – 17.5 – 60.3 – 42.9 – Level two early. Bean and pork soup for breakfast & cheese.

Level III: cur carbs again. Raise fat. Look at carb addiction? Find the right level – measure what I’m eating now. But eggs!

Got to Level IV tried for 5… unsuccessful, later perhaps.

112114 [Friday #156] – waning crescent Scorpio – Getting up this morning was a battle. I wanted to get up at 0400, but that nagging realization that I didn’t have work kept me in bed 3  hours longer. Got up and completed the 90 day session with 31 minutes of cardio w/ the fives and ankle weights.

186.8 – 18.7 – 59.5 – 42.2 – Not ending on a high note, but this isn’t the end. This 90 days was part of the 365 day a year “Boot Camp” lest we forget.

Got to Level I after the work… or was it before? I was surprised by the numbers. The analysis is coming – but looks like the net loss is just 5.2 lbs. Maybe I’ll knock those off in the next 90, by then I’ll be looking at spring.

So 90 days of daily cardio, no alcohol – but no strict diet and 5 lbs lost? Of course it’s worth it – got to lose 5 to lose 15. Body comp changed slightly too. (See tables & video (in progress)). I lost 7 lbs in the first 3 weeks, then a plateau… then there was a sudden drop to my lowest of the session, then came back to the first plateau – then around week 9 or 10 I gained 2 lbs, the weight remained around here ‘til the end.

So today I travel to Brooklyn. I can have a drink and shave my beard if I want to.

Brooklyn traditional tour, Daisy’s diner for California omelet and Commonwealth for Dark & Stormies (3) – still yummy, then Rocky Sullivan’s – pizza and H2O all the rest of the night. To bed later than usual too… it’s a break.

112214 [Saturday #157] – New Moon Scorpio – Wake Brooklyn new York – no AM workout, no hang over – eggs and turkey bacon for breakfast. Maybe get something done today, but if not, no problem. Resume with Yoga Monday?

Today’s exercise, 10 pushups w/ Ruby on my back – smile. *Trail mix…

Bar Toto; grilled chicken salad, lunch dinner in Manhattan w/ the NY Fram. Angus Burger, extra veggies – iced tea, then Rhum punch drink after. Good time!

Day	Sunday 11-16	Monday 11-17	Tuesday 11-18	Wednesday 11-19	Thursday 11-20	Friday 11-21	Saturday 11-22	Ave.
Weight	186.8	186.8	186.8	185.8	186.5	186.8	186.8	186.6
Body Fat	17.4	17.5	18.6	18	17.5	18.9	18.2	18
H2O	60.4	60.3	59.5	60	60.3	59.5	59.9	60.1
Muscle mass	42.9	42.9	42.3	42.6	42.9	42.2	42.5	42.6

Date	Body fat	H2O	MMass
9-06	34.3	111.2	79.1
9-13	34.5	110.7	78.4
9-20	33.4	112	79
9-27	33	112.2	79.6
10-04	34.3	111.1	79
10-11	33.6	110.3	79.4
10-18	32.8	110.7	78.8
10-25	32.6	111.5	79.2
11-01	32.2	111.6	79.2
11-08	31.7	111.6	79.3
11-15	33.8	111.3	79.1
11-22	33.5	112.1	79.5
Ave	33.3	111.3	79.1

Total weight loss/weight gain during this year [from June 19, 2014] & balance.

Session	Previous	VIII	IX	X	XI	XII	XIII	XIV	Tots
Gain	43.1	6.8	1.8	1.0	4
Loss	46.5	6.2	1.2	0.8	3
Net		0.6	0.6	0.2	1
Tot.	-3.4	-2.8	-2.2	-2.0	-1.0

Looks like I’m gaining weight. The question is… what kind of weight am I gaining; more fat or more muscle? I’ve only had the new scale for a month or two. I’ve been consistently in the low 30 lbs range of fat, and knocking at the door of 80 lbs in the muscle range. I’ll just have to keep a check on this. I continue to wonder if 50% muscle mass is attainable without serious body building.

This chart compares the same dates from 2013 and 2014 (the 90 days of this project.)
Coincidentally I started at nearly the same weight, 191.5 last year 192 this year.
The purple line is daily weight from 2013. The light blue is the daily average. you can see
how daily weight fluctuated, which was probably due to 'partying.'
The blue line at the bottom represents daily weights during the 90-day effort. You can
see the plateaus, but the averages follow about the same path. There are about a 4 lb.
difference between last year and this year.

The big news is the completion of the 90 day “cardio thing.” Can’t call it a challenge because I train nearly every day anyway. The discipline was actually not drinking alcohol, which isn’t that much of a big deal as I’m not a drinker; 90 days without booze is not a challenge for me. I’ve done it many times before. I don’t feel I finished on a high note and I certainly didn’t get the results promised in the “brochures” – but I did get results. The most I dropped was 8.2 lbs and the average weight loss was 5 -6 lbs.

Next I’m going to try a combination of yoga in the morning and power-lifting in the evening, along with the occasional cardio (in classes, mainly or if the weather is nice enough to run in.) Oh, and a more “Paleo” or ketogenic diet – I should just need to add more fat to my diet as I am already low carbs – or so I think.

End of session 11