My NROL Experience

[Espi]

Talking about alcohol % reminds me : if this is your first venture into the real low-carb land. If you can handle about 5 beers without getting tipsy, this will be halved at least and even 2 beers can make you 'topple over'. Partly because you will be retaining less fluids (less carbs = less glycogen = less retained fluids = drunk more easily). Many have made a nasty discovery here when they had their first drink upon starting a (very) low carb regime.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Espi

Talking about alcohol % reminds me : if this is your first venture into the real low-carb land. If you can handle about 5 beers without getting tipsy, this will be halved at least and even 2 beers can make you 'topple over'. Partly because you will be retaining less fluids (less carbs = less glycogen = less retained fluids = drunk more easily). Many have made a nasty discovery here when they had their first drink upon starting a (very) low carb regime.

Well I don't think I'll be having nearly as much beer as I did before - certainly a no-no on what should be a low carb program. I'll miss it, but sacrifices must be made.

[Espi]

That's right. So for now, enjoy the beers you'll have and put them away for a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the link to the beer site. I'm sorting them from low to high praise. Look what I found on the highest alcohol beer from
Grolsch the 'Kanon' (Cannon)

BB aug 05. Not that great of a head annd golden to copper beercolor. Nose is malts bading in pure alcohol or at least that's the feeling you get. Taste is absolutly horrible, terrably sweet and very alcoholic. No bitterness noticeable and even malt is not detectable. What a horror brew this is. Unbelievable it's still has costumers cause I can't imagine anybody liking this accept for fuel to get as fast as possible drunk. Undrinkable IMO.

And then the highest praise

I read on the label, BB 6/07 and 11.6%. Yep, a cannon.

Pour was clear straw yellow a small, or course, white head. It did leave some surprising sticky laces.

Not much going on in the aroma – just some subtle malts. Taste had a small pop of Belgium yeast and a initial sharp malt kick, then gone. On the dry side, but the alcohol was not overwhelming for me. Darn fine enticing brew, nice for a slow sipper, naturally. Drank like a 6% brew, I would recommend trying one – very unique.

This was a very fresh brew, thanks to my great son, “studying” overseas in Amsterdam. He brought this back home for the unique chance to enjoy.

[stingo]

Yup - you'll have that... There's been beers I really enjoyed that others didn't and vice versa - just goes to show again that palates vary... to a point... Most would say that Westvleteren 12 is one of the world's great beers.

[Espi]

Funny how people get all wound up over alcohol. It's a bit of a dangerous thing though. There's a reason why I try to not drink much alcohol at all. But again, beer is easier as you can get odd tasting beers for a small price and esp a smallish volume (see the parallel with exercises you've never tried before )

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Espi

Funny how people get all wound up over alcohol. It's a bit of a dangerous thing though. There's a reason why I try to not drink much alcohol at all. But again, beer is easier as you can get odd tasting beers for a small price and esp a smallish volume (see the parallel with exercises you've never tried before )

Indeed, like any good athlete you need to pace yourself and keep yourself hydrated.

[L'ilJ]

Hey Tom...when do you start your new program? This week?

[stingo]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

Hey Tom...when do you start your new program? This week?

Yup - this Monday or Tuesday. Reason I'm saying either is because the woman who runs the gym said she wanted to see me go through the workouts. She won't be there tomorrow but she will be on Tuesday. I think I'm ready to start tomorrow though.

After a week of off the wagon eating and not exercising too much I'm ready to get back to it. While not good for my body it's good for my mind as it serves as a reminder of the road I used to be on - the road that most people follow. But, I, I take the one less traveled by, and that will make all the difference. (props to Frost of course).

[LWilson212]

I'm excited for you to start H1. After doing a lot of higher rep, less rest stuff, the 5x5 days are awesome. I bet you'll surprise yourself with how much you can lift.
The other thing I was thinking is that you said you were way too beat to do the MO stuff after your weights before. With H1, splitting upper and lower body, its a lot easier, especially on the upper body days.
I'm also interested to see how you like the TNT diet. I don't think I could do it. But the article on the Men's Health web site did have some tasty looking recipes.
Good luck this week.
Leah

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by stingo

Yup - this Monday or Tuesday. Reason I'm saying either is because the woman who runs the gym said she wanted to see me go through the workouts. She won't be there tomorrow but she will be on Tuesday. I think I'm ready to start tomorrow though.

After a week of off the wagon eating and not exercising too much I'm ready to get back to it. While not good for my body it's good for my mind as it serves as a reminder of the road I used to be on - the road that most people follow. But, I, I take the one less traveled by, and that will make all the difference. (props to Frost of course).

Yay! You'll do great.

[stingo]

Thanks Leah and Jill,

But this might be an enforced rest week... Why? Because my lower back on the right side is acting up. It hurts to turn or walk. Not a lot, but enough to make itself known. I'll see how I feel tomorrow but if I feel like I do now or worse, then I'll try to do mobility stuff this week, start the TNT diet and hope that things will improve by next week. Otherwise I'll start A1 tomorrow. Thanks for the encouragement.

As for the recipes, I was interested in the cream cakes one as well as the curry chicken. Since I love curry that will be one of the first I try. I am also going to learn how to make omelettes too - picked up spinach and feta cheese for the purpose. I have to admit it was kinda cool to be able to peruse the cheese section. I picked up some smoked cheddar, the feta I already mentioned, and some brie. I figure that will be a good starting point.

[L'ilJ]

You know, it's not such a bad thing to take it easy when you first start low carb. It's really a change at first and you may go through a rough patch where you really feel like shyte. But then things get better and you start feeling good. Sorry to hear your back is acting up. You weren't even DOING anything! That's the worst.

Oh, but omelettes rule. I like making them with brie and leftover cooked asparagus. Pesto works great too. Cheese is just plain good.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

You know, it's not such a bad thing to take it easy when you first start low carb. It's really a change at first and you may go through a rough patch where you really feel like shyte. But then things get better and you start feeling good. Sorry to hear your back is acting up. You weren't even DOING anything! That's the worst.

Oh, but omelettes rule. I like making them with brie and leftover cooked asparagus. Pesto works great too. Cheese is just plain good.

I was thinking the same thing - that starting a new program AND a new diet might not be the best thing for me. I was talking to someone who is doing a low carb diet (South Beach?) and she pretty much said the same thing - that on or around the 3rd day of it I'd feel like crap but it'd get better after that. So maybe another "rest week" isn't such a bad idea after all as I can use it to do the mobility stuff and learn it for incorporating it into my workout regimen.

How do you make an omelette anyhow?

[stingo]

Spoke to the woman who runs the gym and we agreed that I should put off Hypertrophy I until my back improves. It's not bad, but when I move a certain way it does hurt - so I'm hoping this will subside this week so I can pick up again early next week. In the meantime I'll screen the Magnificent Mobility and Inside Out videos and try out some of the exercises (back-permitting of course), and learn a routine.

The interesting thing will be diet this week - switching to low carb's going to be a challenge. Still, I'm looking forward to some meals that I've not enjoyed in a long time - the omelettes mentioned above as well as steak and eggs - one of my all time favorite meals but I've never made it myself.

[SpacecityPaula]

Sounds like you have a good plan to proceed Tom.