My NROL Experience

[stingo]

A good and much needed day diet-wise. Kept away from the beer and concentrated on clean eating. Not much in the way of activity though, so tomorrow will be my lifting day.

[stingo]

225.5 - Not surprising, given the weekend. I think I'll probably start real loss around 221 or 222 but am hoping to get closer to 220. Will see what happens.

[Mahler]

ab crunch thingies

Is that a technical term?

Nice work, Tom.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Mahler

Is that a technical term?

Nice work, Tom.

Of course it is - I'm surprised you didn't know that.

[NorthernWisco]

I just received some horrible news.............leinenkugels is dropping there Apple Spice beer... It was my favorite apple beer...........everything else is too sweet and tastes like apple juice and champagne mixed .................... do you have any ideas?

[stingo]

Originally Posted by NorthernWisco

I just received some horrible news.............leinenkugels is dropping there Apple Spice beer... It was my favorite apple beer...........everything else is too sweet and tastes like apple juice and champagne mixed .................... do you have any ideas?

My condolences... I suppose hard cider is out of the question? If not, give Woodchuck ciders a try. I'll do some research and see what's out there.

[stingo]

Weights, where listed are the numbers on the plates on the functional trainer that I used for the drop sets. All weights, where listed, are per hand.

A V-ups - 2xAMRAP (22)

B Rotating Plank - 4 pts 40 sec each x2

C Cable Core Press - 2x10@45

D Side Plank w/Cable Row - 1x20@35

E1 Cable Row - Drop Setx2 45, 40, 35; 40, 35, 30;
E2 Machine Press - Drop Setx2 40, 35, 30; 40, 35, 30

F Suitcase Deadlift - 1x50@25

G High Intensity Training (Treadmill) - 1x5 minutes (9.0 incline, 3.5 speed)

H1 Pulldown - Drop Setx2 45, 40, 35; 40, 35, 30
H2 Shoulder Press - Drop Setx2 40, 35, 30; 35, 30, 25

I Bulgarian Split Squat - 1x25@5 (each leg)

J High Intensity Training (Treadmill) - 1x5 minutes (9.0 incline, 3.5 speed)

Drop Set = 3 sets of 10 reps, with no rest in between other than to drop weight for the next 10 reps. For example - do 1 set of 10 at 50, then immediately do 1 set of 10 at 45, then immediately 1 set of 10 at 40. And that's one set. You'd rest a little then start the next set at 45, and go to 40, and 35.

A V-ups - Still not true V-ups but I think I'm getting used to the exercise at least.

B Rotating Plank - Collapsed after the left side plank due to arm strength giving out, but otherwise made the time. Will continue with 40 on Wednesday.

C Cable Core Press - Doing better with these too but I think I will keep the weight to ensure better form on Wednesday.

D Side Plank w/Cable Row - I'll increase these on Wednesday I think.

E1 Cable Row - Strong here today, but was tested by these weights, so will keep them for Wednesday.

E2 Machine Press - I'd've tried the same weight as E1 here, but for the life of me I couldn't move the 45's at all. Not sure what the problem was, but I decided to up the weight on the 2nd set to partly compensate.

F Suitcase Deadlift - I'm coming to the conclusion that if I do touch the floor, then my form will be compromised to do so. Will find out on Wednesday.

G High Intensity Training (Treadmill) - No cramping here, and a higher incline. yay.

H1 Pulldown - Another increase here - but this one I might go up again on Wednesday.

H2 Shoulder Press - Definitely keeping the weight here as I JUST managed to eke out the last reps of the last set.

I Bulgarian Split Squat - Today, I held 5lb weights in each hand, just to get an idea of what the exercise feels like with weights. I nearly lost it a couple of times on the left leg, but was able to hold it through the left and right sets.

J High Intensity Training (Treadmill) - The incline certainly helped to get my heart rate into the high zone, but I might do some speed work next week.

Overall - Definitely a good workout, even with the minor quibbles, like the press. I feel like I'm making progress with this program so it's a good feeling indeed.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by NorthernWisco

I just received some horrible news.............leinenkugels is dropping there Apple Spice beer... It was my favorite apple beer...........everything else is too sweet and tastes like apple juice and champagne mixed .................... do you have any ideas?

Ok, apple beer must be a Wisconsin thing as I found the following examples...

Apple Ale - South Shore Brewery, Ashland
Apple Ale - New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus
Apple Ale - Moosejaw Pizza and Brewing Company, Wisconsin Dells
Evil Eye Sour Green Apple - Melanie Brewing Company, La Crosse

Other choices:
Ephemere - Unibroue, Montreal, Quebec
Apple - Lindemans, Vlezenbeek, Belgium

If possible I'd go with the New Glarus first - I've had their Raspberry Tart and it was amazing. Do report your findings if you followup.

[Willie]

Hi Tom!
Just driving by to see what's happenin'.
Looking good in here, and now I want some apple beer. That sounds delicious!

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Willie

Hi Tom!
Just driving by to see what's happenin'.
Looking good in here, and now I want some apple beer. That sounds delicious!

The only one I've had of those was the Ephemere and that was good. Thanks for stopping by.

[stingo]

I was talking to an acquaintance at work and she said that I was looking good and that I shouldn't lose anymore weight. She asked me what my BMI was, and I said it was over 30, which means I'm still classified at obese. She seemed surprised by that, so I'll take that as a good sign. It sort of makes me wonder how much of what I'm carrying is leftover skin and how much is actually fat.

It's funny how the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. While I certainly appreciate the support and encouragement from all of you fellow forumites, I can't help but think that workout-wise I'm probably now just crossing into suck, using Dave Tate's fitness categories (shit, suck, good, great). I'm taking these ratings relative to using my full potential - I think I can do a lot more, given time, perseverence and and determination. It has taken about 3.5 years to transform shit into suck, and I hope it doesn't take nearly as long to get to ok, much less good. I told Tim that for me anymore it's not that I am able to reach 50lb dumbbells on the bench press (for example), but that I don't have to stop at the 30s. He seemed to like that notion.

[kfisherx]

hmmmmm.... Interesting about the coworker. Is this person overweight? You may be starting to look skinny fat at this point Tom. Your workouts are very cardio and you do a lot of cardio on top of them. That might be leading to a softer look than you want. Of course I think you should stay the course until you are lower in BF and then turn that puppy around and do some more muscle building workouts and start to recomp. Just make sure that the formula that you have going on now is dropping fat and weight and not just weight.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

hmmmmm.... Interesting about the coworker. Is this person overweight? You may be starting to look skinny fat at this point Tom. Your workouts are very cardio and you do a lot of cardio on top of them. That might be leading to a softer look than you want. Of course I think you should stay the course until you are lower in BF and then turn that puppy around and do some more muscle building workouts and start to recomp. Just make sure that the formula that you have going on now is dropping fat and weight and not just weight.

Yes she is overweight - I'd asked how she was doing with weight watchers which opened the topic for discussion. As for being skinny fat I think at least some of looking soft has to do with the amazing power of my body to retain water. As for the workouts I am gaining in strength, so something is happening on that front - at the very least I'd think I'd be retaining what muscle I already have.

Of course, I would look thin to someone who knew me when I was a lot heavier, so that has to be taken into account too.

[Espi]

As for water retention, it is remarkable how much inflammation as well as some other hormonal issues causes you to retain water.
It seems to me that you're at about the point where you should consider doing more strength-based workouts rather than metabolic work (or alternate between the 2 of them).
It's been a long time ago when I read NROL but is it possible to alternate between like FatLoss I & Strength I ? Anyone who ever did it?

The main reason Karla brings it up and I'm repeating her is that once you move into the overweight category (you call it going from suck to good) , you will run a higher risk to lose muscle. The fatter someone is, the more muscles are spared when you're dieting. Once you are no longer fat but going towards 'normal' weight, the muscle sparing effect disappears and it starts to get very important to conserve the muscles you have.

Finally.. I'm hearing you on the surplus skin. I've never been truly grossly fat, but I've had a belly for all of my life and that's where everything in excess was located. Apart from an operation I've got no clue how to get rid of it.. and I'm guessing you're having a similar problem.
Over here, if you've dropped a ton of fat, you can get the operation covered by insurance.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Espi

As for water retention, it is remarkable how much inflammation as well as some other hormonal issues causes you to retain water.
It seems to me that you're at about the point where you should consider doing more strength-based workouts rather than metabolic work (or alternate between the 2 of them).
It's been a long time ago when I read NROL but is it possible to alternate between like FatLoss I & Strength I ? Anyone who ever did it?

The main reason Karla brings it up and I'm repeating her is that once you move into the overweight category (you call it going from suck to good) , you will run a higher risk to lose muscle. The fatter someone is, the more muscles are spared when you're dieting. Once you are no longer fat but going towards 'normal' weight, the muscle sparing effect disappears and it starts to get very important to conserve the muscles you have.

Finally.. I'm hearing you on the surplus skin. I've never been truly grossly fat, but I've had a belly for all of my life and that's where everything in excess was located. Apart from an operation I've got no clue how to get rid of it.. and I'm guessing you're having a similar problem.
Over here, if you've dropped a ton of fat, you can get the operation covered by insurance.

Tim's started doing some lower rep higher strength work with me of late, so it's possible that transition is already occurring.

As for losing muscle, I don't think that's what's going on here. How is it possible to get stronger AND lose muscle? Just doesn't seem right.

I believe here in the states it'd be considered cosmetic surgery and therefore not covered by insurance.