chrisw77's Journal, 14 August 2020

Boring day today.

It's tomorrow that will be the true test: to see if I'd stockpiled enough calories the first 3 days of this week to carry me through the other 4 and still have another killer workout!

Then, the finale: Sunday's weight should wind up back down around 156-ish. That would indicate I gained about a pound of fat all week, but officially burned it, leaving behind an almost solid (small) 100% muscle gain 🤞


** FUTURE PLANS **

Recently, I've been asking myself, "what really is my goal?"

Originally, the answer would have been to grow more muscle size. As I've been working out for a couple years now, I've begun to rethink my goal.

I'm still a skinny dude and I haven't grown much, but that's okay. It takes a long time and I know the size will come with years of practice.

However, given the choice between skinny with low body fat (looks) or getting better at lifting with a bit of fat gained (strength), my answer is - by far - gaining strength! I can always trim down later.

I'm just really sick of being stuck at mediocre with what I'm lifting. About a month ago I did a complete 180° turn from hypertrophy (muscle size focus) to working on gaining strength and I find it much more rewarding and satisfying, personally.

The problem, I've come to realize, is that more strength requires more calories for fuel and recovery. Basically, if I wanna get stronger, I might hafta get a little chubby; but if it means breaking records and doing what I haven't been able to do thus far, I'll sacrifice. Gotta get past my fear of fatness 😊

Strong - to me - is functional. As a design major, it's been drilled into me that "form follows function." Thus begins the design of the powerful engine and I'll worry about the style of the car's body later.  

Standby for stronger! 💪

157.5 lb Lost so far: 0.5 lb.    Still to go: 0 lb.    Diet followed reasonably well.

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2072 kcal

Fat: 36.08g | Prot: 200.39g | Carb: 232.88g.   Breakfast: Quaker Instant Oatmeal - Strawberries & Cream, Publix Quick Cooking Oats, Silk Pure Almond Milk - Unsweetened Vanilla, McCormick Sausage Flavor Country Gravy Mix, Better'n Eggs Better'n Eggs, Egg Beaters Egg Beaters - Southwestern Style. Lunch: Nature's Best Perfect Low Carb Isopure Whey Protein Isolate - Dutch Chocolate,  Coffee (Brewed From Grounds), Silk Pure Almond Milk - Unsweetened Original, Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder. Afternoon Tea: Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Spray Juice, Nature's Best Perfect Zero Carb Isopure Whey Protein Isolate - Mango Peach, Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Chewy Bars, Fiber One Soft Baked Bars Lemon Bar. Dinner: Breyers Oreo Cookies & Cream Ice Cream, Stubb's Bar-B-Q Sauce Original, Skinless Chicken Breast, Dole Pineapple Chunks in 100% Pineapple Juice. Supper: Vitafusion MultiVites Gummy Vitamins, Dr. Tobias Triple Strength Omega 3 Fish Oil, Vitafusion Extra Strength Melatonin Gummies. more...

2343 kcal

Activities & Exercise: Housework - 30 minutes, Driving - 1 hour, Bus Driving - 9 hours, Showering - 15 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours, Resting - 45 minutes, Cooking - 30 minutes, Sitting - 4 hours. more...