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Gym was chocka again tonight so only did cardio. Will go again tomorrow.

 

X-trainer: 20mins

Treadmill: 20mins

Cycle: 20mins

 

Tried making some Thrive inspired cereal bars:-

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4432638069_0458ed17b6.jpg

Not an exact science but:-

1/2 cup of almonds

1/2 cup of oats

1/2 cup of flax seed flour

1/2 cup of mixed seeds... See more

1/2 cup of cranberries

1-2 cups of dates

2 apples

 

Blend all together, add wet ingredients if dry and vice versa.

Flatten on a surface and cut. Leave to dry a bit then wrap and stick in the freezer.

Edible straight out of the freezer. Nom nom nom.

 

Oh and I bought some new converse....

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4433412608_e25fb34be8.jpg

The black ones are for the gym for doing weights. Should help my form rather than using my running trainers.

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Nice cereal bar! I ain't giving you shit for presentation though haha. Nah, it actually looks yummy and has really good ingredients. I'll need to add cranberries and apples to next week's shopping I hope that isn't all you're having for breakfast unless that bar's the size of your foot.

 

Speaking of feet, glad you finally got decent shoes for lifting. I hope you haven't been using running shoes since we talked about it in january (yes, I checked. i'm that guy)

 

Went on a date last night with a vegan lady, we had dinner at Vegan Routes in Soho which is a vegan restaurant on an old routemaster bus which is quirky.

 

Didn't have time to do much today.

 

X Trainer warmup: 10 mins

 

Bench Press: 45kg 5x5

Squat: 50-65kg 5x5

Shoulder press: 30kg 5x3

 

Started my new protein today. Had a 1/3 each of soy, brown rice and pea protein. Tasted awful which can only be a good thing

Is that connected in anyway to the rootmaster restaurant in London? I've been there, it was shit haha. Sounds like exactly the same idea. How'd the date go?

 

What does 50-65kg mean on squats? Do you do 50 for the first set then add weight each set till 65 in the last?

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MaryStella: Thanks

 

Chewy: Thanks! The dates are proving to be the binding ingredient but I think the ones I bought from Tesco are too dry. I stick everything in the food processor but it tends to get to a thickness whereby the blades are spinning but nothing is moving! My first attempt went straight in the bin however I manage to salvage this one and stick'em in the freezer. I ate one straight out of it yesterday and it was yummy! I'm getting there, just need to perfect it and yes, I really want to add some protein powder too!

On no it's not breakfast! I have a bowl of Tesco's Healthy Living Muesli with Soya milk and some fruit. The bars I wanted as snacks.

As for the feet, you've caught me out there! I left it far too long to buy some flat shoes for the gym I know, I'm hoping for good things with regard to my form now

 

Vegan Routes is probably the restaurant you tried, it's in Soho. Although I did hear there is another, not sure if they're connected. The food was reasonable and the staff were nice enough and it was empty so no waiting around unlike somewhere such as Mildreds which I'm still keen to try but not prepared to wait 40mins!

 

50-65kg like you say, I start on 50 then move up to 65 in 5kg or 10kg intervals. Not really any science behind it, rubbish I know. I want to hit the 80kg today with my new shoes so at least I'm squatting my own body weight. I'll see how it goes!

 

Right, I'm late for work now!

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soak the dates in a water til the soften up a bit if they are too hard.

 

Cheers Mary! I'd been pondering that myself, but worried about them freezing if too wet but I shall shake'm out and give it a go!

 

 

Hit the gym after work having got in early thus left early, so it was nice and quiet for once. The new flat shoes are a dream, I feel so much more rooted for squats, gave me a buzz. Gonna start raising my squat weights now I feel more comfortable.

 

Bench Press: 5x5 40,40,45,45,47.5

Squat: 5x5 50, 50, 55, 60, 65

Assisted Pullups (27.5kg): 10,8,8

Reverse Crunch (4kg med ball): 10,10,7

Prone Bridge: 60,60,30secs

 

Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey

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Yesterday: X-trainer 20mins, Running 20mins, Cycling 20mins.

 

Today:-

 

Bench Press: 42.5,42.5,45,47.5,50kg (5,5,5,5,4)

Squat: 50,55,60,65,70kg (x5)

Reverse Crunch (3kg med ball): 12,12,12

Prone Bridge: 60,60,60secs

Dead-Lift: 55,60,65,70,75kg (x5)

 

Not sure what was happening today but the gym and Tesco's was empty. Really enjoyed my work out today, probably because it was empty and I didn't feel rushed etc.

 

My form on Squats concerns me. When I go down, looking in the mirror, my arse seems to edge to the left rather than straight down, don't understand why. If I concentrate I can keep it good though, just need to keep aware of it.

Almost failed on the second rep on the last set at 70kg due to bad form but managed to pull it back together and complete all 5. I'm not going to raise the weight until I've addressed all of this.

 

Anyway, quite buzzed and bought some yummy food. Just had the most discussing smoothie ever though, I'm shocking at making them haha.

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Hey man

 

Couple of things - try to avoid doing any ab work before deadlifts, keep them for the end of your workout. You don't want a weak core when you're deadlifting. And with the squats you'd be better trying to get a video of yourself you can review later, rather than looking in the mirror (a lot of people say you shouldn't). Make sure your positioned in the middle of the bar, that your legs are an equal distance apart and your toes are pointing out the same angle. Remember not to dive bomb into the squat, keep it controlled. If you do this I don't see why your butt should be veering off to the side

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Cheers Chewy, yeah sorry I should post my work out in the right order really, I always do abs at the end.

 

So I read somewhere about keeping a food diary (which I'm gonna struggle to do for now but small steps) but the point made was that, although you make think you're eating a lot, you're probably not! Well blow me down if this isn't true for me...

 

1894kcal, 57g protein

 

Mini shredded wheat with soya milk and agave syrup 213kcal 8.9g protein

Boots sandwich: carrot, houmous, salad leaves and alfalfa sprouts on wholemeal bread 278kcal 10.2g protein

60g olives 97kcal 0.78g protein

innocent smoothie 183kcal 1.5g protein

Banana 108kcal 1.4g protein

Jacket potato with beans and small salad 359kcal 14.2 protein

Thrive inspired cereal bar 227kcal 5 protein

Brown whole grain rice with chick peas and side salad 429kcal 15g protein

 

Now I don't know how accurate my guestimated numbers are for some food items and you can throw in a couple of protein shakes but still. I felt like I ate loads today but I'm not even reaching the 2500 recommended for an adult man

Might explain why I'm quite slim except for a bit of a belly though I guess that is due to eat the wrong kind of foods? I hear that a lot, 'you're eating the wrong types of food' etc, not sure how true this is?

 

Anyway, did cardio on Sunday.

 

Wed 24th:

 

Weighing in at 80kg constantly lately.

 

Squats: 50,55,60,65,70kg x5

Overhead press: 20,30,30,35,35kg x5

Prone Bridges: 60sec x3

Pullups 27.5kg assisted: 12,10,10

Reverse Crunch 3kg ball: 12,12,12

Crunches, 20,20,20

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Jeezo! <2000cal? Go to the corner and think about what you've done!

 

Haha, anyway that's why keeping food logs is good, even if it's infrequent. Forget about your belly just now and start increasing the calories (with protein rich foods), it could actually be there because you're not eating enough.

 

Towards the end of the night have your smallest meals, don't have anything massive before bed. After my dinner I try to stick to shakes and stuff.

 

Get big bowls of porage in there for breakfast, 100g dry =D (355kcal, 11g) protein then add your soy milk (or have it separate) and agave syrup.

I find rice and beans is an easy meal to increase the portions in because I find it quite quick and easy to eat. If you eat 100g brown rice (measured when dry) and get a full tin of chickpeas (240g drained) that's 634kcal and 25.2g protein.

For the smoothie you could make a large one yourself, get the banana in there and a scoop of protein.

Your potato meal make sure you get a nice big whole tin of any bean in there.

Nuts are good to accompany any other small meal.

 

If you eat 6 meals averaging at 450kcal you'll be at 2700kcal for a good start. And you don't even have to be eating that frequently, every 3 hours or so. You shouldn't feel full at all leaving that long inbetween. I'm eating between 3200-3800kcal at the moment and I'm not feeling full for any longer than an a half-hour after a meal.

 

 

Consistency is the key. Eat big everyday and don't miss workouts =]

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Cheers Chewy, tis shocking isn't it! I'm really quite suprised! I think I will try and do at least one food log a week to start and come up with some good easy meals such as the rice and beans you suggested. I really need to start taking food to work rather than trying to buy it as the options are limited!

 

Hope you're well!

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Yeah, damn, how are you at 80kg eating like me when I was 60kg? Food logs are cool and all and make people read your journal lol but for saving time consider using a site like fitday or program like cron-o-meter to track your cals. You just have to find or create your foods once then you can just check them off and add them to the next day. Food suggestions: I find you can eat more lentils in weight than beans and they're a bit higher in protein. Also rice is about the lowest in protein and most boring, throw in some quinoa or bulgar or whatever. Soy is nice, 2-3 servings a day can be very helpful. Bread's not the best but peanut butter sandwiches are awesome for calories/protein (get good bread). Ditto for pasta. Also I don't see any nuts! 100g nuts => 600 calories. I ate like a bird for the first couple months of my training too, you'll be amazed what eating enough food will do.

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Bought some new bathroom scales today AND kitchen scales. Digital ones this time, old ones were cheap and analogue and hard to read accurately. The bathroom scales even calculate muscle mass, body water and body fat so it'll be interesting to monitor those too.

Also putting together an excel spreadsheet to track my weight training and calorie intake.

 

Squats: 55,60,65,70,75kg x5

Bench Press: 42.5,45,45,45,47.5 x5

Inverted Rows: 12,12,12

Push Ups: 20,20,17

Reverse Crunch 3kg ball: 12,12,12

Crunches, 20,20,20

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Squats: 55,60,65,70,75kg x5

Bench Press: 40,42.5,45,47.5kg x5 & 47.5kg x4

Overhead Press: 30,32.5,35,35,35kg x5

Deadlift: 55,60,65,70,70kg x5

Chin ups 27kg assist: 20,15,15

Prone Bridge: 60secs x3

Reverse Crunch 3kg ball: 12,12,12

Crunches, 20,20,20

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Bench Press: 40,42.5,45,47.5,47.5kg x5 & 50kg x4

Squats: 55,60,65,70,75kg x5

Overhead Press: 30,30,32.5kg x5 & 35,32.5kg x4

 

Short work out today. Not sure what happened. Managed to progress with the bench press but then the shoulder press sucked ass. I just seemed to lack energy and I've felt tired all day stranegly.

 

Made red lentil and kidney bean soup tonight, was yummy!

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Hey man, just wanted to offer some encouragement as someone who started stronglifts around the same time as you (started the 1st of february).

 

I was wondering...why are you increasing weight with each set rather than warming up and then doing your 5x5 at a constant weight?

 

I looooove red lentils by the way, I bet that soup kicked ass!

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Hey, erm... I've no answer for that really other than it's what I've always done! I've just read the strong lifts page and you're completely right! I'll change what I do next time, thanks for questioning

 

And yep, the soup was delicious! Luckily I made enough for a bowl today too!

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So after Medman's comment and reading the Stonglifts beginner page again quickly, I've changed what I'm doing to better reflect the advice given. Although in doing so I've had to deload a bit to test the boundaries. All except deadlift that is which has gone up a bit now that I'm not doing 5 sets! haha

 

Squats: 65kg 5x5

Overhead Press: 32.5kg 5x5

Bench Press: 45kg 5x4, 47.5kg 5x1, 50kg 3x1

Deadlift: 80kg 5x1

Pullups (13.75kg assisted): 12x3

Prone Bridges: 60sec x3

Reverse Crunch (4kg ball): 12x3

Edited by Stenno
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I'm going backwards. Really wasn't happy with the depth of my squats so I've opened up my footing so I can get down more. I think I was barely squating parrallel to the ground before so I've dropped the weights back down to 55kg.

 

Squats: 55kg 5x5

Overhead Press: 32.5kg 5x5

Bench Press: 45kg 5x3, 47.5kg 5x2 (working up to 5x5)

Deadlift: 80kg 5x1

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Just ordered Roberts book, looking forward to receiving it!

 

Ached all over yesterday, had to keep pulling my shoulder blades back to click something inbetween. Assume my shoulders are slouching forward, maybe I need to work more on my back muscles.

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I'm going backwards. Really wasn't happy with the depth of my squats so I've opened up my footing so I can get down more. I think I was barely squating parrallel to the ground before so I've dropped the weights back down to 55kg.

 

Are you pointing your toes straight ahead, or letting them point outward? I have hip flexibility issues (that I'm working on), and an experienced powerlifter looked at my form and told me that if I let my toes point a bit more outward, it would get easier to go all the way down to/past parallel, and he was right!

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