Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I get that, mainly the reason why I don't eat rubbish anymore.

I'll look at the food and nutritionally analyse it, often subconsciously. If it's something I'll get little good from I usually won't eat it. When I eat clean, healthy, energy providing foods I feel great and my workouts are productive; that's reversed as soon as my diet falls away.

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1st Place Raw Champs 2011, 2012 (3 raw records)
Training for my first 100 mile running race

WEB: http://jimsty.wix.com/strength-vs-size
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VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/kiwilifter?feature=mhee

Tried a little bit of legs today...3 sets of each glute kickbacks, sitting leg curls, and leg extensions, all with lower weights. Went to do some squats on the smith machine, but of course it was occupied..I tried a free weight barbell. Used just the bar (so 45lb) for a warm up of 10, then went to 65lb for 15, tried another set and had to stop It was just slight discomfort at the time, but I knew it was bad...still it took me a LOT of self control to stop. It was extremely hard to use such low weight to begin with...
I'm gunna look into seeing a massage therapist, hopefully they can tell me something, or do something...Hopefully.
It felt good to do something with my legs, though. For a few minutes, anyway.

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

Work this morning...though I'm not wanting to go outside at all (ugly weather), then gym, then [hopefully] out tonight with friends! Tonight could be bad for the diet...well, it will be. Between drinks and the more than likely chance I'll have bad food very late at night. My way to balance is to eat clean all day, plus a good workout, and only eat something bad later, and somehow I have to keep it limited.
This could be a whole new level of challenge...lol

I've noticed my bench is lacking a little the last few times I've gone in. Really not sure why...I couldn't do 3 sets of 8 with 70lb last time, I had to decrease it before I had to dump the weights again. Im hoping I'll be back to normal today. We shall see...My boss gave a me a tip to try with my bicep curls, too. He said 'pinky up'. Not fancy, tea drinking style, but pinky always above the thumb. Trying that out today.

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

Saturday was a clean day, minus the drinks. Yesterday, however, was atrocious. It made me feel like complete shit, too. I really can't eat bad stuff anymore..it's both awful and fantastic.

Hitting the gym in a few hours...I'm finding that I'm getting really bored with my upper body routine since I do it so often. I've been researching some new stuff to do, but does anyone have any favourites they'd like to suggest? In particular, I'd like new exercises for shoulders and back. My shoulders have become one of my favourite attributes and I'd like to continue to do them justice...and my back, well a built back is just sexy, so I'd like to kick that up a notch.
Any recommendations would be great!

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

I don't know if it's just my state of mind today or if it's actually the case, but I feel like I'm all over the place. I feel like diet, workout, and life in general is just...chaotic. It could just be that I've made a few changes this week, I dunno. It's really throwing me off though. So is thinking about this weekend..I'm at a work conference for 2 nights/days and they always serve carbs on top of carbs on top of carbs for meals...I'm really dreading it. It's going to be completely delicious...but SO not good. I get so bulky and soft-looking on carbs! I got some protein bars for snacks, but I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to muster the excessive amounts of will power that it's going to take to stay away from all the delicious carbs...
Next week, well, starting sunday, is going to have to be so incredibly low-carb it's not even funny. Maybe that's how I should think of this weekend...I'm carb cycling...ya, that's it...

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

Pack some protein powder with you, a shake should get you through one break and then it''s up to you to choose wisely for lunch/dinner I'm sure there'll be salad, veges etc etc.

Sounds like you need an hour or two of time out to reset yourself. Maybe put some chilled out tunes on your MP3 and go for a nice, decent length walk. Take care and stay awake through that conference haha MF.

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1st Place Raw Champs 2011, 2012 (3 raw records)
Training for my first 100 mile running race

WEB: http://jimsty.wix.com/strength-vs-size
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mini-Forklift/161273440616736?ref=hl
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/kiwilifter?feature=mhee

Haha Ya...I'm going in with the assumption that I'm going to cave with some time of food or another...most likely the cookies or muffins. Dinner rolls and such things I can avoid no problem. I'm definitely taking protein bars, and some almonds just in case. No powder though...I really don't like powder in just water, it tests my gag reflex.
Going for a nice walk is actually a really good idea...however, I don't get the time until sunday. I have 2 free hours right now, but I've gotta sit and ice my leg for a bit.

I tried working legs again today..I'm going to do light work once a week, I've decided. Leg extensions were fine...really weak, but fine. Likewise with hamstring curls..squats though...it kills me to go so light with the weight (warm up with the bar, then a 10 plate on each side), and still I can't complete 3 sets. I guess I'll just cut out squats for a bit...or suck it up and just use the bar.

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

This weekend wasn't AS atrocious as I was expecting...but it was still bad. I got home yesterday evening and thought 'screw it, no point eating healthy now' so I had a few things that I crave often. Figured that the day's intake was already shot to hell, so might as well up the calories some more and shoot it down today. I didn't get as low as I would have liked with calories today, but it was still lower than usual. I believe I stopped at 790, but I only went that high so that I could get adequate protein since I hit the gym. Oddly enough, despite having the urge to snack, I'm not actually hungry.
I really need to figure out some new exercises, though. I'm seriously bored with mine. Just having new exercises doesn't cut it though...If I don't enjoy them, it's still just as boring. I guess tomorrow will be research day...I'm gunna have to find some type of medium between lifting mode and nerd mode. Wait...that's the normal me!

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

Wasn't hitting the gym today and since it was absolutely gorgeous out, I decided to take a walk. It wasn't as relaxing as I expected...possibly because I was walking through some sketchy places, put me on edge a bit. Kinda the opposite effect I wanted. I apparently also went a little too far...groin started aching as I was circling back to home when I was about a half hour out. I've been procrastinating going to see a massage therapist, but I think I need to suck it up and go, or at least look into it. It might be an awkward session, but I've gotta try something.
Tomorrow's a nothing day...well, I'm gunna be running my butt off at work, but nothing other than that. Wednesday it's legs...no squats this time though. That's depressing.

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

Definitely ran my butt off at work...unexpected cases needing anesthesia will do that, I suppose. I made the mistake of going into bulk barn to get almonds...I came out with almonds and white chocolate almond bark. It was fantastic, but I shouldn't have had it! Ugh.

I've come to the conclusion that I made the wrong choice to start on a fat burner. It's given me great results, and thursday will only mark 3 weeks of being on it. My weight dropped and I look awesome (unless I load up on carbs...then I look like a tank haha), but it's got me in the wrong mind set.
I only started monitoring my diet at the beginning of the year, so I'm not even 2 months in, but because of the fat burner I'm in the mind set that I should be dropping fat all the time, and I'm just not seeing that. It's stupid, because I know as well as anyone that changes take time and patience, and then some more time and patience. I think this is what's got me a bit derailed lately...I'm not being patient so I'm getting frustrated. Such a rookie mistake! lol
I should be extremely thrilled with my results so far, though. Since Jan 1st I have dropped 3.5kg and I've come down about 5% body fat (roughly)...and my shoulders look like they never have before!
*sigh* Here's to being patient...

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

The picture that I'm going to post pretty much made my day...or week. The jeans I had on used to be tight enough on me that I had a muffin top...and now look Couple that with my boss repeatedly complimenting my figure, and I had a pretty damn good day! Of course, that's ignoring the fact that I could barely do squats and didn't even try lunges in the class we went to.
But just look...

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

Wow, nice!! So encouraging to see such improvement, eh? How are you doing with the vegan diet aspect of things? Are you finding it easier or harder than expected? Have you been able to stick to it pretty well?

On a daily basis, the only thing I eat that's not vegan is my egg whites...I don't drink real milk, or eat cheese (with occasional exceptions). Every once in a while I have ice cream, but that's also rare.

I'm feeling awesome in the gym! I'm working my legs again, very lightly, and avoiding squats (very depressing) and it seems to be helping a bit. That, combined with icing at least once a day, and Rub-a535 every night, and I don't think I need to go see a massage therapist anymore (which is awesome...that would have been a rather awkward appointment).

I hit the gym first thing this morning - 7am! I never, ever thought I would see the day when I did that...but I was so excited to go that I jumped out of bed when my alarm went, and I've been completely hyped up all day...now that I'm not at work and don't really have anything to do, I'm getting really antsy lol I want to go back to the gym! I don't think I have as much strength in the morning, though. Can't win 'em all, I guess. It makes me feel better, but strength is slightly lessened. Luckily not significantly so.
I'm switching up a bit of my upper body workout, too...incorporating some things from workouts I've read on simplyshredded.com. I really like it. It's only minor changes, but it's just enough to get rid of that boredom I've been feeling.
So, to sum it up...Great day, and great week

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

Nice! Well, congratulations on your improvements... and your getting up at 7:00 to hit the gym! That would be a major feat for me, too.

~Karen

Boredom always ruins a day, somehow...
Tomorrow is another leg day...I used to wear out frustrations by doing lower body workouts, but that's not really an option at the moment...I'm thinking a swim might be pretty relaxing, though. Follow that up with a sit in the hot tub and/or sauna, and I think tomorrow sounds pretty damn good!
I'm going back to my normal gym, too, which I haven't been to in a few weeks. A new one (in the chain that I'm a member of) opened across the street from my work, so I've been going there since opening day...it's too cardio oriented. My normal one is VERY weight-focused. Lots of huge guys, and several women who obviously lift...it's really nice to see, and be around. Kinda excited.
What I've got goin' on for lower body currently is...
Hamstring curls 8 - 10 reps x 3 sets, weight depends on the machine I'm using
Leg extensions (same as above)
I'm not sure if they're called donkey kicks or glute kickbacks...but something along those lines.
Standing calf raises, on a riser, 30 reps x 3 sets with a 30lb BB
Deadlifts...weight varies, as do reps...I got wrist straps, and I had my boss show me how to use them, but I just don't feel secure relying on them...so deadlifts are kinda all over the place. I always go heavy with them, though...usually 100lbs + for reps. I try to do 20ish in total, however many sets it takes me.

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Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.