Another Journal...

[Draft]

Okay, finally got around to starting a journal.

Hopefully I can update this regularly (i.e., I remember to).

My current stats are: 5'9 (ish) and 74 kgs. Hope to get a bodyfat test done shortly.

Main goals are to increase lean muscle mass and strength. Either hope to put on a bit of extra weight for the next rugby season or compete next year (yea I'm undecided - but either way I need to put on a bit of weight).

Current regime as follows:

Monday: Chest/Tri

Tuesday: Cardio

Wednesday: Hammys/Back

Thursday: Shoulders/Traps

Friday: HIIT

Saturday: Quads/Bis/Calves

Sunday: Cardio (and core if I remember).

Typical eats (targeting between 2,400 and 2,600 cals):

M1: 3x Hi-bran Weetbix, 200ml calci-xtra milk, 15g EatMe whey

M2: 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese, 1 mountain bread

M3: 125g rice, 200g chicken breast

M4: 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese, 1 mountain bread

PWO: 1 ON 100% Whey shake (32g), 1 banana

M5: 1 chicken breast, 100-150 frozen veges

M6: Sludge, mmmm

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? I welcome them all...

[nate225]

My initial thoughts without overanalysing things are simple:

1) Eat more! Thats bordering on a competition diet!

2) Have at least one full day off.

Get into it and let us know how ya go Nicko.

[Draft]

Thanks dude, I agree, had a quick look at my cals today and it was looking lower than I would like.

Wednesday 7/10

Lifts

Hamstrings/Back

Deadlifts: 60kgx12, 80x10, 100x6, 120x3 (form fail), 100x3

Hyper-extensions: 1 set to failure

Prone Hamstring Curls: 45kgx8, 50x8, 55x6 (fail), 50x5 (fail)

Front lat pull-downs (iso): 20kg each x 12, 30x8, 35x8

Back lat pull-downs: 42kgx10, 49x8, 56x5 (fail)

Wide-grip pull-ups: BWx2 then increasing assist to failure, 4 more sets

Seated Rows: 42kgx12, 49x10, 56x8, 63x5 (fail)

Bent over rows (OHWG): 20kgx12, 30x10, 40x10, 50x8, 60x5 (fail)

Bent over rows (UHCG): 40x10, 45x10, 50x6 (fail)

Eats

M1: 60g multigrain weetbix bites (yea I know not as good as real weetbix, but had none left), 200ml calci-xtra milk, 15g EatMe whey

M2: 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese, 1 mountain bread, 1 banana

M3: 125g rice, 200g steak

M4: 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese, 1 mountain bread

PWO: 1 ON 100% Whey shake (32g), 1 banana

M5: 250g chicken breast, 150g frozen veges (though not frozen when I ate them)

M6: Sludge (when I get around to it)

[rose]

Good luck with your goals 8)

1/2 180g can tuna

Instant powerball!

Sludge when I get around to it

Always. I also suggest replacing the weetbix with something more substantial than processed calorie cardboard with 10g of refined sugar. Are you allergic to oats? They use soy in weetbix, you'll get moobs :shock: :pfft:

Ingredients: wholegrain cereals (66%) [wheat (35%), oats (11%), sorghum (10%), rye (10%)], sugar, rice (6%), puffed wheat, barley malt extract, honey, wheaten cornflour, coconut, minerals (calcium phosphate, iron), salt, vegetable oils, vitamins [niacin, vitamin E (contains soy), thiamin, riboflavin].

Contains soy and gluten containing cereals.

May contain traces of milk, tree nuts and sesame seeds.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 45g, Servings per package: 11

Per Serve Per 100g

Energy (kJ) 716 1590 (Cal) 171 380

Protein (g) 4.2 9.4

Fat - Total (g) 1.5 3.4

- Saturated Fat (g) 1.0 2.3

Carbohydrate - Total (g) 32.8 72.9

- Sugars (g) 7.2 15.9

Dietary Fibre (g) 3.8 8.5

Sodium (mg) 135 300

Potassium (mg) 90 200

Thiamin (mg) (Vitamin B1) 0.55 (50% RDI)* 1.23

Riboflavin (mg) (Vitamin B2) 0.43 (25% RDI)* 0.95

Niacin (mg) (Vitamin B3) 2.5 (25% RDI)* 5.6

Iron (mg) 3.0 (25% RDI)* 6.6

Calcium (mg) 120 (15% RDI)* 266

*PERCENTAGE OF RECOMMENDED DIETARY INTAKE (RDI)

Hey look they add vitamins to make it look healthy! Yay :doh:

[Draft]

Haha yea I guess. I normally have oats in the weekend. But can't really stomach them raw (I tend to have breakfast at work on weekdays).

But then again, if I do grow moobs I can wear a training bra and slip my Ipod in it :wink: ?

[Travel Express]

Nicko. How many Calories is it that you consume a day?? just so i have a rough idea, for my own benefit. Curious you could say i am.

[Draft]

Based on my little spreadsheet I keep going (yea, apparently I'm a geek) I hit 2310 today.

Gonna try and up that little tomorrow though!

[rose]

I hit 2310 today

but either way I need to put on a bit of weight

:shock: Jesus, dude, is that all?? Seriously, I maintained on that back in June. I know everyone and their goals are different, but you're a guy and you're bigger than I was in June (and now) and even if you don't want to feed your fat cells you just have to eat more, more, more. Eat clean. But eat more. Especially given your stated goal. Seriously. I typed this post in a completely caring, love you long time way. OK I'm going now :shifty:

[Draft]

Haha no offence taken (if that's what you were implying by the "I typed this post in a completely caring, love you long time way"bit).

I think I've still been caught in the "I can't eat cause I'll put on fat" frame of mind. I have no problem with eating more. I expected (and hoped) to be told to eat more. I love eating - clean or otherwise. Plan to try and hit 2,600 today (I am stuck with summer in the near future).

I think I will try bulk hard from next March (end of summer...heh) with a view to competing in September/October so it would probably help to have a solid base on by March.

Target: 84kg by August 2010 (just made that up then). Given I weighed in a 69kg in the 2008 rugby season I feel like some progress has been made at least (albeit pretty slow).

[rose]

Rose sez eat more 8)

I still suggest ditching the calorie cardboard. You'll feel better and get better results with cleaner food than that. It's packaged trash. The funny thing is, the fibre in it is probably stopping the iron and calcium being of any use. Straight through etc! :pfft:

Haha no offence taken (if that's what you were implying by the "I typed this post in a completely caring, love you long time way"bit).

[Travel Express]

Based on my little spreadsheet I keep going (yea, apparently I'm a geek) I hit 2310 today.

Gonna try and up that little tomorrow though!

I eat approx 3600 a day atm sometimes more... Try and squeeze in around 800cals just at lunch.. rice has so much cals

[Draft]

Thanks guys, I did try eat more today. Also picked up some oats this afternoon to leave at work for breaky tomorrow.

Thursday 8/10

Lifts

Shoulders/Traps

Seated Db Shoulder Press: 16kg(each)x12, 18x10, 21x8, 24x5, 18x6

Db Shrugs: 30kg(each)x10, 39x8, 42x8, 39x6

Lateral raises: 6kg(each)x12, 8x10, 10x8, 10x6

Reverse machine flyes: 40x12, 50x10, 60x10, 70x6, 80x3

Upright Bb rows: 31kg(total)x12, 36x10, 41x6, 31x5

Bb Cuban press: 17kg(total)x10, 21x10, 17x10

Behind back Bb shoulder press: 30x12, 40x8, 45x5 then did the bar alone till it hurt.

Eats

M1: 80g multigrain weetbix bites, 200ml calci-xtra milk, 15g EatMe whey

M2: 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese, 2 mountain bread, 1 mandarin

M3: 100g rice, 200g chicken, 1 egg, 10g chopped peanuts, 50g mixed vege

M4: 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese, 1 mountain bread, 25g weetbix in milk

PWO: 1 ON 100% Whey shake (32g), 1 banana

M5: 250g chicken breast, 100g frozen veges

M6: Sludge

Rough totals

Protein: 294g

Carbs: 265g

Fats: 46g

Cals: 2,650

Good day today, heaps more energy at the gym (probably due to eating more \:D/ - makes sense huh, cheers guys)

[steak]

If you're wanting to put on muscle you can basically eat till you're full 6 times a day...more if you need to .....BUT.....if you can/and want to eat like this you will have to eat clean. Avoid all saturated fat and refined sugars and try to eat a macro nutrient breakdown of 40% protein, 45% carbs and 15% essential/good fats(nuts, seeds, flaxseed oil, avocado is ok every now and then, fish oils and oily fish etc etc) The macros can be tweaked as you go.

Taper off your carbs in the evenings.

Drink 6 litres of water a day and use skim milk if you drink milk.

Should get the needle going up on the scales without putting on too much fat.

[Travel Express]

whoa i wish i could get that amount of protein into my diet. I'll get there though.

[Draft]

As added incentive - 2 progress pics.

One taken when I decided to take things a bit more seriously and one today (hope to gain mass from this - will be my benchmark)

[Draft]

Cheers for the advice guys, I'm steadily trying to increase how much I eat while trying to keep it clean. Had a moderate blow out this morning had to organise a work morning tea (weekly thing which I normally avoid but had to be there). Stuck to crackers and hummus but was calories without protein which disturbs me.

No training tonight but have to play 5 games of indoor netball so I'd like to think it counts.

As an added incentive I've attached two progress pics. The first from a few weeks ago and the second from last night. Lighting is a little flattering on the second but hopefully should pan out ok.

[rose]

Awww sad face, I was hoping that was you in your avatar :cry: (JK, KUTGW )

[Draft]

Haha, if that was me I think I would be on the right track with me eating!

[Chillicat]

Hi Nicko - great to see you're doing a journal.

Re your workouts - definitely take at least one day off per week, that's when the muscles grow and such. You'll feel better for it too - raring to go and all after a well earned rest.

Re moring tea - just because you have organised the food, doesn't mean you have to eat it! I'm the social club person at my work so I am in charge of organising outings and the occasional Friday night drinks etc. If I'm in charge of the food, I always make sure there is something there for me (hummus and carrot sticks - yum!).

But if someone else is doing the organising and there is nothing that fits what I want to be eating, then I'll just make a shake, or open a tin of tuna or eat an apple or something so that I can join in, but in a way that suits me.

[Draft]

Drink 6 litres of water a day and use skim milk if you drink milk. Should get the needle going up on the scales without putting on too much fat.

Wow 6 litres? I'd tend to get more like three - definitely something I will have to up.

Avoid all saturated fat and refined sugars

What percent of fats do you think should be saturated fats? I tend to get a bit through red meat etc.

[steak]

you said "What percent of fats do you think should be saturated fats? I tend to get a bit through red meat etc."

and i say back to you....If you avoid all saturated fats religiously you will probably get the right percentage

[Draft]

just because you have organised the food, doesn't mean you have to eat it!

I'd say your self control is much better than mine!

Saturday 10/10

Will post lifts now cause just finished up at the gym.

Quads/Calves/Bis

Squats: 10x10 (3 @ 60, 3 @ 65, 4 @70)

Leg Press: 3 sets of 10 @ 120 then was gone

Calf extensions on LP machine: 120x10, 120x10, 120x15, 120x15, 100x 15, 100x15

Hammer curls: 10(each)x10, 12.5x10

Standing Bb Curls: 35x10, 30x10, 32.5x8, 35x6

Standing curls w/ twist: 10x10, 12x10

Military chins: BWx6

Supine cable curls: 49x10, 56x10, 65x8, 83x2, 56x5

Okay, 10x10 squats was awesome but was a little all over the place after that. Wasn't really feeling the hammer curls so changed to something else. Really need to sort it for next week.

Little frustrating really. I have shaky arms and can hardly walk tho so I guess that is a semi-good sign.

[Draft]

Monday 12/10

Eats

M1: 1 cup oats, 200 ml milk, 20g WPC

M2: 5 protein pikelets, 1 mountain bread, 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese

M3: 2 pork sandwiches

M4: 2 mountain bread, 1/2 can tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese

Pre WO: 1/4 cup oats, 10g WPC, 50ml milk

Post WO: 1 banana, 1 ON shake

M5: 250g steak, 100g mixed vege

M6: Sludge

Lifts

Training partner didn't show up and today was Chest/Triceps so could have been a better workout but:

Incline Bb: 40kgx12, 60x10, 70x5, 70x3, 60x3

Iso Incline: 30kg (each)x10, 40x10, 50x2, 30x6

Decline Db: 22.5kgx12, 24x10, 26x8, 28x8, 30x6, 32x5

Db fly, 12x12, 16x8, 16x6, 16x4

Seated tricep extension: 24x10, 26x8, 26x6

Tricep pulldown: 35x10, 42x8, 49x6, 49x4

Dips: BWx9, Bwx8, Bwx6

Nothing left so went home, If no training partner next week my try come up with a workout that doesn't rely on a spot.

[Chillicat]

just because you have organised the food, doesn't mean you have to eat it!

I'd say your self control is much better than mine!

It wasn't last Friday when I organised drinks (and made cupcakes) for an ex colleague who just came back from India and another who just got married - the spirit of celebration was just too much to resist!

[Draft]

It wasn't last Friday when I organised drinks (and made cupcakes) for an ex colleague who just came back from India and another who just got married - the spirit of celebration was just too much to resist!

Yea, these things happen eh? My whole weekend was a little shit eating wise cause I went home to see my parents.

Tuesday 13/10

Eats

M1: 1 Cup Rolled Oats, 200ml skim milk, 20g WPC

M2: 2 tortilla, 1/2 can Tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese, 1 bite of an apple - was ave so tossed it

M3: 250g chicken breast, 100g CousCous, 1 egg

M4: 1 tortilla, 1/2 can Tuna, 1/4 tub cottage cheese

Post-cardio: Horleys Protein bar (whoops)

M5: 250g chicken breast, 100g veges

M6: Sludge

Upped calories to around 2,670 but split still a little off: 42% Protein, 19% Fat and 39% Carbs

Aiming for a 40/15/45 (thanks Steak).

Training

Cardio day. 45mins: 20 on the bike, 25 on the cross-trainer

Followed by: 5 mins stretching (way to short I know) and 10 mins knee-strengthening exercises.

Had to laugh at the guy working out in sunnies. I think that takes gym outfits to a new level.