Daily News Archives

April 2007

04/30/2007 - New meal plan for weeks 18+ are up; My camera broke--Fuji sucks!
04/29/2007 - Weekly measurements.
04/28/2007 - Nothing to do today; HIIT cardio.
04/27/2007 - Accepting flaws.
04/26/2007 - Busy day; Low carb fog.
04/25/2007 - All dried out!
04/24/2007 - Reality check.
04/23/2007 - Some weekend; Very busy week; May "100 Challenge" open for entry.
04/22/2007 - I gave in. :(
04/21/2007 - Cravings!!!
04/20/2007 - Fat loss; More painting; New house is looking likely; Hi George.
04/19/2007 - "How do I get rid of the fat in my (x) area?"
04/18/2007 - Summer diet/training plans; Will I bulk this Winter?
04/17/2007 - New food/supplement log; Supplement intake explained.
04/16/2007 - Weekly measurements; Emails; Getting started.
04/15/2007 - Los Angeles Times article; Stormy weather; Cleaning day #2.
04/14/2007 - Too busy to workout? No you're not; House going on market next week; HIIT.
04/13/2007 - Believing in yourself is the first step to an incredible transformation.
04/12/2007 - Traffic calming down; Joining the forum; Los Angeles Times interview.
04/11/2007 - Second post-refeed day report.
04/10/2007 - Pushing through the desire to skip a workout; Carb loading day!
04/09/2007 - Low carb/refeed diet update; Busy weekend.
04/08/2007 - Down to 9.7% body fat; New look to the main page!
04/07/2007 - Answering the skeptics.
04/06/2007 - First refeed day report; Yet another record day; Welcome new visitors!
04/05/2007 - Another record-breaking day; Some common questions and comments addressed.
04/04/2007 - Great workout last night; New progress picture; Welcome new visitors!
04/03/2007 - Tough day; JSF sees record-breaking traffic; New Favorite Things item.
04/02/2007 - Easy part is over; "Why do you do it?"
04/01/2007 - March progress in summary; Weekly progress; Monthly photos; The future.

April 30, 2007

Mastover has made some changes to my diet plan and supplement intake. So, here is the new food/supplement log for weeks 18 - ??. As always, I'd like to discuss the changes...

The biggest change is there will be no more steak, and no more chicken. Yep, you read that right--ZERO! I'll now be eating cod fish, which is an ultra-lean source of protein, in place of the steak and chicken (in the exact same amounts and at the same times). Other than that, my diet is identical to weeks 16 & 17.

On the supplement side, there are only a couple of minor changes: 2 extra Udo's Choice EFA tablets with my 1:30 PM meal, and no more creatine, except on leg day.

I'll still be doing the low carb/refeed diet on the same schedule as I have been following (L=Low carb day, R=Refeed day):

DAY	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	etc...
MEAL PLAN	L	L	L	R	L	L	L	L	R	L	L	L	R	etc...

On to another subject: cameras. Obviously the digital camera is a very important part of this web site. I've always been a big fan of my Fuji S7000--it's a fine camera--but I will never use or recommend Fuji products again. Why? This is the second Fuji digital camera that I've owned on which the cheap plastic clips that hold the battery door closed have snapped off, rendering the camera completely useless (well, useless without a whole lot of duct tape to hold the battery door closed). This didn't happen as a result of any kind of trauma, this happened after only a couple years of very gentle use. I am extremely careful with my cameras. None of my cameras have been dropped--not even once. The Fuji camera I owned before this one had the exact same problem--not just once, but THREE times before I gave up on it and bought the S7000. I figured it was a design flaw in that particular model, but it seems that the problem runs deeper than that. What really annoys me is that when I called Fuji to have them send a replacement battery door for my S7000, I was put on hold for 15 minutes only to be told that they no longer send battery doors to end users, and I must have the camera repaired by an authorized service center. That means I have to mail my camera off, spend around $100.00 for a stupid battery door, and wait 4-8 weeks to get it back. No thanks. I have my monthly pictures to take tomorrow, so I'm going to duct tape the battery door shut long enough to take the pictures, but I've already purchased a replacement camera. This time I wanted something much smaller, but with the same (or better) features as the Fuji: 7+ megapixel, 6x optical zoom, 640x480/30 FPS movie mode and image stabilization. I decided to purchase the Canon PowerShot A710 IS. It's very highly reviewed, has all the features I want and is less than $250 bucks at the JSF Amazon Mall! So tomorrow's monthly photos will be the last photos I'll ever take with a Fuji camera. It's a shame that otherwise excellent cameras are ruined by something that would cost about a dollar to correct. The fact that they won't let me fix it myself (it's a simple repair) was the final straw.

April 29, 2007

It's Sunday, and that means it's time once again for my weekly measurements and body fat analysis...

It's been a good week! This past week I lost 2.4 pounds, a quarter inch from my waist and a quarter inch from my hips. There's really not much fat on any other area of my body, so I'm not surprised that all my other measurements stayed the same. I think there is still a small amount of fat on my legs, so I expect to lose a little more size there before I'm done, but I think for the remainder of my cut most of the change is going to come in the form of mid-section reduction.

Now, on to my body fat. This morning my body fat reading is 8.8% (as measured using a 7-site pinch test with the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers from the JSF Amazon Mall). The lowest of my three readings this morning was 8.5%, but I threw the lowest two readings out. The results I've been getting with this caliper have been very consistent. It does take practice to get consistent results, but once you get the technique down these calipers seem to do a fantastic job. I'm very pleased with them.

Looking in the mirror this morning (and trying to be objective), I have to say that I honestly think I look worse right now than I did a few weeks ago. I'm 99% sure this is because I'm extremely lean except for the fat just below my belly button and in my "love handle" area: the classic "Spare Tire". Being so lean everywhere else has the unfortunate effect of making the fat that is left more pronounced. Of course this condition is temporary. I know by now that I, like most men, hold on to the fat in my mid-section as long as possible: it is the first place fat is stored, and it's the absolute last place to let fat to go. In fact, even once I get to 6% body fat there will likely still be some fat in that area.

April 28, 2007

For the first time in a very long time, I actually have absolutely nothing to do today! It's a weird feeling, but believe me--I'm not complaining. I guess there are some things I could work on (aren't there always), but I think I've more than earned a couple days of relaxation.

I postponed my refeed by one day (it was supposed to be yesterday), so I've got plenty of carbs to look forward to today!

The HIIT workouts I've been doing in the afternoon on non-training days are getting very difficult. The trick to making these relatively brief sessions effective is intensity. You've got to push yourself as hard as you can during the "all out" intervals. It also helps to ratchet up the difficulty level over time. Here's what I've been doing:

Week 1: 10 mins per session--30 seconds all out, followed by 1 minute at moderate pace.
Week 2: 12 mins per session--30 seconds all out, followed by 45 seconds at moderate pace.
Week 3: 14 mins per session--45 seconds all out, followed by 45 seconds at moderate pace.
Week 4: 16 mins per session--45 seconds all out, followed by 30 seconds at moderate pace.

I've noticed a dramatic difference in my cardiovascular abilities since I started doing HIIT again. When I'm weight training I don't get nearly as winded as I did when I was doing LISS cardio exclusively. Of course HIIT cardio is a great fat burner, too, thanks to the post-cardio metabolic boost. I am still doing 30 minutes of fasted LISS cardio in the mornings, but I feel that my afternoon HIIT cardio sessions provide me with superior fat burning results and better conditioning. I'm not trying to fan the flames of the tired old HIIT Vs. LISS debate--I think both forms of cardio have their benefits--but I think those who don't at least try both forms of cardio may be doing themselves a disservice.

I'm going to go get my cardio in and then dive into a huge bowl of oatmeal! After that, I think I'm going to watch movies all day (with a brief interruption for my HIIT cardio session this afternoon, of course.) Have an awesome Saturday!

April 27, 2007

This morning I weighed in at a new 2007 cutting low of 200.4 pounds. Wow. Part of me is, of course, happy that the fat is coming off, but there's a part of me that's a little freaked out knowing I'll be dropping below 200 pounds any day now. My strength and the size of my muscles are both still where I want them to be, so I guess the main reason I'm even thinking about it is because dropping below 200 pounds really drives home the point that I put on way too much fat over my 2006 winter bulk. I mean, I was 236 pounds a few months ago! I've lost almost 36 pounds since January, and it's almost all been fat. Dietary mistakes were made on my last bulk--no doubt about that--but I did put on some quality muscle, especially in my lats and delts.

My whole body looks very lean right now, but that stubborn fat below my belly button remains. In fact it looks worse than ever because the rest of my body is so tight. It really stands out, and yes--it drives me crazy. I've worked my butt off, and it annoys the living hell out of me that I'm still wrestling with this lifelong problem area. I'm very hopeful that over the next month it will start to diminish, but I think it's always going to be there like an persistent itch that I just can't quite reach.

No, I'm not just whining about my problem area again. There's a point here. Please, stay with me.

Most of us who undergo a transformation will eventually have to face the fact that reality doesn't always align with what's in our mind's eye. Maybe it's loose skin, maybe it's the shape of your jawline, maybe it's the way your abs don't line up--whatever. There are some things that are out of our control, short of surgery. For me the most difficult aspect of my transformation has not been the sweat, the dedication, the hard work and the often bland diet. No, the hardest part of my transformation has been coming to grips with the fact that no matter what I do I may never have the body I always pictured in my mind. To this day I still wrestle with it. I can't seem to accept it. Maybe that's a good thing because it keeps me hungry, but maybe it's not such a good thing. Don't look to me for the answer, because I'm still struggling with it myself. I hope as I continue I will one day reach the point where I can be 100% comfortable with my body (and that change may very well be more mental than physical), but that day is not yet here.

April 26, 2007

I've got another very busy day today: I've got to go downtown and do some work at the datacenter, and I also have fairly long meeting to attend right smack in the middle of my day. Of course when I return home late this afternoon I've got a tough leg workout to knock out. This is also my 5th low carb day (I added an extra day since I ate so many carbs last Saturday) before my refeed day, so I'm feeling a little foggy-headed this morning. I have a feeling my head will be hitting the pillow very early (even for me!) tonight...

I'm going to get going. I've got to eat, shower, pack a cooler, load up the car with network equipment and get the show on the road if I expect to get everything done in time for my workout. Have a great day!

April 25, 2007

As soon as I wake up I can always feel when I'm holding water, and I can also tell when I'm "dried out". This morning I woke up and felt the familiar (and welcome) "tightness" that has been missing since Saturday's unplanned cheat meal. Sure enough, when I looked in the mirror all the blurriness in my abs and puffiness in my face that I've been seeing for the past few days was completely gone. After about a week frozen at 202.8 pounds, this morning my scale weight finally dropped--I'm down to a new 2007 cutting low of 201.8 pounds. It will be interesting to see what my body fat reading is this Sunday.

All that fretting over a single cheat meal, and for what? You know, sometimes I think I'm too much of a perfectionist for my own good. Then again, at least I'm out there giving it my best every single day. I could sit on the sidelines and play it safe, but that's way too boring for me. I like to keep moving forward. All I can do is keep an open mind, and make an honest effort to learn from my mistakes. No one is perfect, least of all me.

I've got to get going, I've got to get my cardio done, and then I've got meetings all day long (but they are fun, new home meetings--I'm taking the day off from work!)

April 24, 2007

After writing about how guilty I felt for having an unplanned cheat meal this past Saturday, I received a significant amount of email and PMs from JSF members, visitors and my trainer, Mastover. The message was unanimous: "Dude, chill out! You're human!"

I think the reason I was so irritated with myself (and embarrassed) is because earlier that same morning I wrote in my update about how I was not going to give in to my cravings, and then I failed to deliver the goods. I'm a man of my word, so my pride was really stinging when I wrote Sunday's update. Of course I didn't have to admit my dietary "transgression" to the whole world, but I've always been 100% honest about every aspect of my transformation. Covering up my unplanned cheat meal would have been far worse than the cheat meal itself.

So, with the help of all you fine folks, I've managed to put things in their proper perspective. I heard from a former National-level wrestler who said something that really hit home: "Just remember that your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Feeling guilty for eating fajitas and salsa is NOT healthy." He's 100% right. Being healthy, eating right and working out is something I enjoy a lot, but if I'm going to beat myself up for having a cheat meal every month or two, then something's wrong. There's dedication, and then there's insanity. I'm not a competitive bodybuilder or a fitness model, I'm just a regularly guy who set a fairly challenging goal for himself. It's going to take hard work and dedication to reach my goal, but what's the point if I'm going to drive myself insane in the process? I'm not saying I should give in to all my cravings (if I did that, I'd get fat again), but there needs to be a healthy balance there.

I have about six weeks left in my cut, and I may very well go that entire time without another cheat meal. However, if I do wind up having one or two meals off my planned diet during that time, then I'm not going to drive myself crazy over it.

Thanks for the reality check, my friends!

April 23, 2007

Well, it was quite a weekend around here! After Saturday's indulgences, I'm very surprised that my scale weight is still locked in at 202.8 pounds. I know I'm holding water because I can see it and I can feel it. I drank a little over 2 gallons of water yesterday, and right now I feel like a bloated tick. I think once my body starts letting go of all this water I'm going to drop below 200 pounds. It may take a little longer than usual, as I'm sure all that crap food was quite a shock to my entire system.

This week is going to be especially busy for me. Not only do I have a very full plate at work, but I also have to take most of Wednesday and part of Thursday to meet with some of the people who will be responsible for building the new home. Between my workouts, meetings and my usual workload I'm probably going to have a number of very long days ahead. Thankfully my current house is totally ready to be shown to potential buyers, so that's a big weight off my shoulders.

It's been great to see so much banter in this month's "100 Challenge"! I think all the chatter really helps people feel involved and motivated, and I hope it continues in future challenges. The May challenge is now open for entry, and details are below. Until the challenge starts, please keep posts limited to official entries only. Once the challenge starts, feel free to chat away!

Registration for the May 2007 "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EST) on May 1, 2007 if you plan to participate. To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the May 2007 "100 Challenge" thread on the forum. If you are ready to work hard and want to challenge yourself in a fun and competitive environment, then please take part! If you decide to join the challenge, then you are expected to see it through to the end. No slackers!

April 22, 2007

Well folks, if you've come to this site today looking for inspiration and motivation, I'm afraid I'm going to let you down this morning. I blew it yesterday, I really did. I gave in. I succumbed to my cravings and went totally off my diet. I took Lisa out to eat yesterday afternoon and had fajitas, beans, rice, tortilla chips and salsa. I also had a margarita. To make matters even worse, I skipped my afternoon cardio session and drank Grey Goose on the rocks last night. I'm surprised I didn't go running through the neighborhood naked, too. I mean, what in the hell happened?! One of my strongest personality traits is that I have incredible willpower, but I just couldn't seem to stop myself yesterday. I guess I needed it, but I'm not going to sit here and make excuses. The bottom line is that it shouldn't have happened, and I'm embarrassed by it. I feel like I let myself, my trainer and you all down. I know it's just one day and all that, but that's how I honestly feel right now so I'm speaking my mind.

Now that I've said my piece, there's nothing I can do about yesterday. It's done, over and history. I think it's important to not let a bad day get you down, otherwise you'll be more susceptible to letting a bad day turn into a bad week--or worse. Today I'm right back on the horse, and I'm going to work my butt off until I reach my goal.

Today is my measurement day, and I'm afraid that the numbers are skewed thanks to yesterday's debauchery. Even though I look and feel pretty bloated, my scale weight did not go up. I'm down about a half-pound from last week, but every other measurement is exactly the same as last week, including my body fat percentage: 9.3% (as measured using a 7-site pinch test with the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers from the JSF Amazon Mall). I'm definitely holding some water, so I think next week's apparent progress will be better than usual.

I'm going to go do my cardio now. I promise to behave myself today. Have a wonderful Sunday!

April 21, 2007

I've got another very busy weekend ahead of me: I'll be painting another room, doing projects around the house, cleaning, doing yard work and running errands. Both today and tomorrow will be bookended with cardio sessions: 30 minutes of LISS in the AM, and 14 minutes of HIIT in the PM. Whew!

I've been very active lately, and I'm certainly burning through a lot of calories. All that activity coupled with my reduced caloric intake has created a significant challenge for me: I've had to fight through the fatigue, especially on low carb days. The cravings are almost too much to handle sometimes...

I've come a long way, but I've got to remain focused during these last 6 weeks or so. This is the time when I need to be most dedicated, but the warm weather combined with all the outdoor activity is really testing my resolve. Right now it's 8:00 AM, and all I can think about is pork BBQ, french fries and garlic bread. CRY

There will be no BBQ--at least not for a few more weeks. Right now I'm going to go get on the bike and then I'll prepare my egg whites, grapefruit and natural peanut butter. Hey, if six-packs were easy, we'd all have one.

April 20, 2007

I've consistently lost around two pounds per week since I started my cutting diet on January 1st; however, now that I'm at (or below) 9% body fat, I expect that my fat loss progress will begin to slow down a bit. The trip from 9% body fat to 6% body fat will be a real challenge, but losing these last 8 or 9 pounds of fat is going to make a massive difference in my physique--especially in my abdominal area. This is a very difficult, but very exciting, phase of my cut. The changes in my mid-section over the next 6 weeks or so should be dramatic.

This weekend I've got to get some more painting done around the house. Now that I've painted 80% of the house, the areas I thought were "good enough" stand out like a sore thumb. I think all these little things make a big difference when people are looking at the house and considering a purchase. It's a very competitive time right now for existing home sales, and I'm doing everything I can to set my house apart from the crowd. The biggest problem is my home office (that's just one corner of the nightmare). I literally can't paint in here because I'd have to tear my entire network apart and remove all the custom shelving. That's about a three day job, and I can't bring my network down for that length of time.

The new home approval should be happening any day now. I received a call from the mortgage company, and the loan just passed through automatic underwriting with no problems. That's very encouraging, so now all I need is for a human being to give me the thumbs up in the form of a written commitment and it's full steam ahead! I'm so excited about the new home and neighborhood. Now that I'll be living right on a golf course, I might have to give it a try. I'm afraid if I take up golf it's going to wind up being another huge money and time pit. As you may have noticed, I tend to get pretty wrapped up in my hobbies and interests.

I'd like to sign off today by giving a shout out to all my friends down in the Wasteland--especially George, who says he can't start his day without reading my daily updates. Have a great Friday, my friends!

April 19, 2007

As of this morning I'm down to 202.8 pounds and probably right around, or just below, 9% body fat. Probably the most frustrating part of being at this particular stage in my cut is that my whole body looks very lean except the area just below my belly button. In fact, because the rest of my body is so tight right now, I think the fat below my belly button is more prominent than ever. There's absolutely nothing I can do about that fat except continue to diet and lower my overall body fat percentage.

One of the most common questions asked by people who are new to proper dieting is "How do I lose the fat in my (x) area?" Short of surgery, you can not spot reduce fat. Your genetics are what determines where fat is stored and where it comes off. Most men tend to store fat first in their mid-section, and that's usually the absolute last place it comes off. That's why most men need to be at sub 10% body fat levels in order to have their abs showing. My particular genetics "force" my body to store a disproportionate amount of fat in the area just bellow my belly button. I wish that fat was spread more evenly over my entire mid-section, but that is not the genetic hand I was delt, and there's not dang thing I can do about it! Crunches and leg raises will help strengthen your abdominal muscles, but will do absolutely nothing to burn the fat in that area (apart from the relatively small amount of calories expended while doing the exercise). Abs really are made in the kitchen, not in the gym. It's all about dieting until you reach a body fat percentage that allows your abdominals to show through. These exact same principles also apply to women, only most women tend to store fat in their thighs and hips first.

I'd better wrap this up and get going. It's going to be a busy day...

April 18, 2007

It's hard to believe that I only have around six weeks left in my current cutting (fat loss) phase. Of course that's just an estimate; I'm going to keep cutting until I reach 6% body fat. That could happen sooner or later than my estimated "target".

A lot of people have been asking me what I'm going to do after I finish cutting, and also if I plan to do another bulk this fall/winter. I'd like to address those questions this morning...

Once I reach my target body fat goal, I plan to enjoy the summer and maintain my physique. Of course I'll still be lifting weights 3 or 4 times per week (I have not yet devised this year's maintenance training split), and I'll probably do a mix of LISS and HIIT cardio 2 or 3 times per week. My food choices will be much like what I'm eating now: oats, yams, brown rice, egg whites, lean steak, chicken breasts, fish, fruits, vegetables and nuts. I'll probably also throw in some 100% natural whole grain bread a couple times per week as an additional source of healthy carbs (I miss sandwiches). I've never felt better than I do right now, and I attribute that 100% to my current diet. I'm sure not going to go changing things! Besides, I've truly grown to love the foods I eat. I'm even enjoying broccoli--a lot! I'll certainly continue to post my complete food logs to this site for those who are interested.

Of course once I start maintaining I will no longer need to be in a caloric deficit so I'll be able to eat more of all those foods, which is great! I will also allow myself a "free" meal or two each week.

I will not be able to maintain 6% body fat with a "relaxed" diet like I plan to eat this summer. I will probably stabilize at around 8% body fat, which I will have no trouble maintaining. If I see that I'm slipping higher than 8%, I'll make some adjustments to my diet.

So, will I bulk again this fall? Honestly, I just don't know right now. Now that I'm back down to around 200 pounds and fairly lean, I'm really liking how I look and feel. I don't want to be huge, and I'm very comfortable at my current size. When I was up to almost 240 pounds this past Winter, I felt very uncomfortable. Of course that was in no small part due to the excessive fat I put on, but right now I feel like I've reached a point where I'm satisfied with my overall size. What I'm really leaning towards is going on a very slow, very controlled bulk, in which I'll focus almost entirely on my two lagging body parts: my rear delts and traps. I also wouldn't mind if my forearms and chest were each a little bigger, but my biceps, triceps, quads, calves, lats and back are pretty much where I want them to be.

Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud right now. Who knows how I'll feel once summer is over. Additionally, our new home should be completed in November or December, and moving/getting settled is certainly going to demand a lot of time, energy and attention. So, if I do decide to do a slow bulk, it may wait until early 2008.

OK, time for my first cardio session of the day! Thanks very much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

April 17, 2007

My diet plan and supplement intake has changed. Here is my new food/supplement log for weeks 16 - ??. Let's go over the changes...

The biggest changes are with my supplement intake. First, I'll no longer be taking the Mass Amino tabs. Instead I'll be taking one teaspoon of bulk BCAA powder at the same times I was taking the Mass Aminos. Bulk BCAA powder is infamous for its horrible taste, so it may be mixed with a little Crystal Light.

The next change to my supplement intake is I'll be using Beverly International's "Lean Out" product. "Lean out" is not a thermogenic: It's mainly L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine is "...used for the metabolism of branched chain amino acids. L-Carnitine is a co-factor which is required for transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria of your muscle cells where they serve as a substrate for energy production while sparing muscle glycogen." In other words, it enhances fat utilization, spares muscle glycogen and reduces muscle catabolism.

The body adapts pretty quickly to L-Carnitine, so it should be cycled. Here's how I'll be using it:

Pre-meal: Week 16: 2 tabs; Week 17: 3 tabs; Week 18: Off; Week 19: 2 tabs; Week 20: 3 tabs; Week 21: 4 tabs.

Pre-cardio/training: Week 16: 4 tabs pre-cardio only; Week 17: 4 tabs pre-cardio & Strength training; Week 18: Off; Week 19: 4 tabs pre-cardio only; Week 20: 4 tabs pre-cardio & Strength training; Week 21: 5 tabs pre-cardio & Strength training.

My food intake has not changed too much. Essentially my carbs have been reduced on refeed days: 2 bananas and 1 cup of brown rice have been eliminated. Other than that, everything else is the same. My low-carb/refeed schedule remains as follows:

DAY	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	etc...
MEAL PLAN	L	L	L	R	L	L	L	L	R	L	L	L	R	etc...

People often wonder about the supplements I take, and why it seems that I take so many. It may seem like a lot at first glance, but it's really not. First, I take a multi-vitamin pak. I don't think many people would argue that a good multi-vitamin is important. I also take EFAs. Essential Fatty Acids are absolutely critical to good health. While in a caloric deficit (as I am now), it can be very difficult to get enough healthy fats. I supplement with EFAs to ensure that I'm giving my body the healthy fats it requires. Protein powder is not really a supplement, it's quite literally a food product. Basically everything else I take (Xtend, Bulk BCAAs, Creatine, Glutamine, Mass Aminos) are just Amino Acids. Aminos are 100% natural, and they help me maintain my muscle mass while losing fat. I could certainly lose fat without them, but I'm trying to retain as much muscle as possible. These are not miracle pills. They help a little. 90-95% of the equation is rock-solid nutrition, intense training and adequate amounts of rest. No supplement will make up for deficiencies in any of those critical areas.

April 16, 2007

My weekly body fat test and tape measurements--usually done on Sunday morning--were delayed until today because Lisa has been out of town and I require her assistance for the 7-site body fat test.

My fat loss progress this past week was quite good! I'm down another 1.6 pounds (203.3 pounds), and I lost another quarter of an inch from my waist, my hips, my chest and my thighs. My arms, calves and forearms remained the same.

My body fat percentage this week (as measured using a 7-site pinch test with the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers from the JSF Amazon Mall) is down to 9.3%. Every week is bringing me a little closer to my goal of 6% body fat, and that's all I can ask for. I'm very happy with how things are progressing with this year's cutting phase.

The amount of email I've received over the past few weeks is insane. I haven't even had time to read it all (but I will, I promise!) If I were to spend every waking hour for the next month answering emails, I might make a decent-sized dent. Unfortunately there's absolutely no way I can do that, and that just kills me because most of the emails are absolutely awesome. Many of you are asking me very basic questions (nothing wrong with that--we all have to start somewhere) about how to get started losing weight and working out. Most of your questions are answered on this site and on the the forum. Start educating yourself by reading the "sticky" threads in the Beginner's forum (the threads that are "stuck" at the very top). You may also enjoy my own detailed food logs, my training routines, my FAQ, and the daily news archives. I encourage you to create a free account on the forum and introduce yourself, or ask any questions you may have. There are plenty of resources and assistance available to you, but you're going to have to invest a little time and effort into getting the ball rolling. You can do it!

April 15, 2007

As I mentioned yesterday, I'll have to take my weekly measurements tomorrow morning instead of today because Lisa is out of town and I need her assistance for a couple of the body fat pinch locations.

I was interviewed for a story that was published in today's Los Angeles Times. The article is not about fitness, but is about people who have taken photographs every day over long periods of time. The article is available online, but you've got to register for a free account in order to access it. There was supposed to be a link to this site in the article, but for some reason it was not included. I've asked David to add the link to the online version, if possible.

It looks like we have a major storm that will be blowing in over the next few hours. Very high winds and heavy rain are expected, and the temperature is going to drop into the 40s. That's absolutely unheard of for Florida in the middle of April! Even though the power lines in my neighborhood are underground, many of the lines that lead into the neighborhood are above ground. I suspect the high winds may cause power outages today, so perhaps I'll be firing up the generator at some point. That generator is some of the best money I've ever spent. I hate being without power.

Well, I'd better go get my cardio done. Today is day #2 of my massive house cleaning blitz. I got a tremendous amount accomplished yesterday, but I still have another very full day ahead of me today. Preparing a house for sale is hard work! I just keep thinking about the new house while I'm cleaning and that provides me with all the motivation I need.

April 14, 2007

I have been spending practically every spare moment I have these past few weeks preparing our home to go on the market. Even though I've been incredibly busy, I have not let any of these new activities interfere with my workouts or diet. It's all about priorities. If you want something bad enough, you'll find the time that you need to get it done. People who say they don't have time to workout are really saying that working out is not important enough to them to make the time. Some of the busiest people on this planet make the time to workout, and you can, too.

This weekend I'm going to be spending most of my time giving the house a major cleaning. All the big projects are done, the garage is spotless and all the painting has been completed. It is time: we're going to put our house up for sale next week! We are still waiting on final approval on our new home loan (it's in underwriting now), and I hope we'll have the good word early next week so that we can accept any attractive offers on our existing home that might come in. The suspense has been totally agonizing. We've come a very long way to have the rug pulled out from under us now, but that's a real possibility. Everyone at the mortgage company keeps saying, "Don't worry! The loan will go through!", but until we have a firm approval in writing I'm not banking on anything.

Today is a double-cardio day: 30 minutes of LISS in the morning, and this afternoon I'll be experiencing the most painful 12 minutes of my day with a grueling HIIT workout: 45 seconds low intensity followed by 30 seconds all out. Repeat for 12 minutes. I push myself to the limit while doing this workout, and it provides excellent fat loss results as well as improving my cardiovascular system. Next week the HIIT workouts will be ratcheted up and become even more difficult!

April 13, 2007

I just realized that with Lisa out of town I won't be able to take my body fat reading on Sunday morning. She'll be back Sunday evening, so this week I'll have to move my weekly measurement/body fat reading to Monday morning.

Time sure is flying by! It doesn't seem that long ago that I was just starting my 2007 cutting phase (January 1st), but here it is already mid-April. I'll bet everyone who started back in January and has remained dedicated to their fitness program is feeling pretty darn good about their progress about now--and rightfully so! I know I sure am...

When you're focused on a goal and excited about reaching it, time really does go by quickly. You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and the next thing you know you'll have made an incredible, life-changing transformation.

Even if you started a fitness program back in January and gave up on it, or started and have been going about things half-heartedly, that's OK. There's no changing the past, so don't dwell on it. Set a new goal today, and then focus on one day at a time. If you do this today and give it your all, by mid-summer you'll be enjoying better health and an entirely new body.

I'm so proud and inspired by all the awesome transformations that I've witnessed on the JSF Forum. If you think my results are atypical, then you have not spent enough time browsing the forum. Results as good as (or, very often, better than) mine are not unusual. I believe with all my heart that every single person reading this message has it within him or herself to make their own incredible transformation, but you've got to believe in yourself or I guarantee you that it will never happen. Each passing day is another day of your life that is gone forever. What are you waiting for?

April 12, 2007

The past couple of weeks have been pretty crazy. Traffic to the main site has finally calmed down, but is still running about four times the normal rate. Thankfully the current servers are more than able to handle that amount of traffic, but I'm still going to be purchasing new servers to prepare for the future. I think it's awesome that so many people are taking a keen interest in fitness.

Some of the people who visited the main site took the next step and joined the JSF forum. Around 500 new members have been added to the forum so far this month, and many of those new members are already on their way to good health and physiques they can be proud of. I'd like to welcome you all to the JSF community! It's hard to believe that we are quickly approaching 20,000 members and half a million posts...

Remember, forum membership is 100% FREE. Anyone can create an account and take part. While you always have the option to help support the site by instantly upgrading your forum membership, it is not in any way required. None of the "good stuff" is held back from non-supporting members. The number one goal of this site is to provide everyone with all the knowledge and support required to make an incredible transformation, and to do it for free. This will never change. The only thing that I require is that each member read, and strictly adhere to, the forum rules.

I did an interview with David Sarno of the Los Angeles Times last week. If you are in the Los Angeles area the article will be in this Sunday's paper. It will also be available online, so I'll link to it this Sunday or Monday.

I think that about wraps it up for this morning. Have a great day--see you tomorrow!

April 11, 2007

Amazing! Yesterday was my second refeed day since starting the weeks 14 - ?? phase of my 2007 cutting diet, and, once again, I woke up this morning feeling lean, dry and tight. I also weighed in at a new 2007 cutting low of 204.2 pounds. The reason I'm surprised by this is because normally my body responds to high amounts of carbs by holding water and bloating up. Also, the sheer volume of food I ate yesterday was quite a bit higher than my "low carb" days. So I thought perhaps last time my post carb-up weight and appearance was an anomaly. That does not seem to be the case.

It occurred to me, though, that when I eat a large amount of carbs and then bloat up the next day, it's generally the day after a "cheat" meal. Usually "cheat" foods are not just high in carbs, but they are also very highly processed and loaded with sodium. The carbs I'm eating now (oats, brown rice, yams, bananas, pineapple and broccoli) are very clean, natural and low in sodium. So, it seems my body is not as "carb-sensitive" as I once thought. It just reacts poorly to junk food (big surprise, right?)

I was telling Lisa last night that if she wants to experience a completely natural high, try low carbing for 4 days and then do a refeed day with clean foods and lots of carbs. I was bouncing off the walls all day yesterday! It was amazing. This morning I'm still feeling very sharp and energetic, and I'm totally encouraged by my fat loss progress so far this year.

After I first lost weight back in 2003, a lot of people said I was afraid to really go on a true bulk because I didn't want to put on any fat. Boy, did I ever get over that! I still can't believe how fat I got over my 2006 bulk. It's like I couldn't even see it at the time. Anyway, that's all behind me now. It feels great to have lost over 30 pounds of fat so far this year. I'm looking and feeling like myself again. I feel energetic, athletic and trim. I'm absolutely loving my HIIT cardio sessions, as they are really are beneficial to my cardio vascular system and, of course, they provide excellent fat loss results.

Speaking of cardio, it's time for my morning LISS cardio session. No lifting today, but I do have an evening HIIT session scheduled, and today I'll be ramping up the intensity, duration and pain. INTENSITY!

April 10, 2007

I have to admit that I've been feeling fairly stressed out lately. I have a lot going on in my life right now (even more than usual), and it seems like there is so much to do and not enough time to get it all done. So last night it was almost time for my workout, and thoughts of skipping it were running through my head. I get so irritated with myself when I start thinking like that. I know that skipping workouts can be a very slippery slope: If you skip a scheduled workout, then it becomes a little easier to rationalize skipping another one. Many, many people have fallen back into old habits like that.

I love lifting weights, but the initial impulse to skip a workout has been happening a little more frequently lately. I think part of what I'm dealing with is mental, but part of it is the low carbs. I'm proud to say that I have not given in and skipped any workouts (and I won't); besides, once I get in the gym and get going I always feel great! After I get past my warmup sets everything else in the world just disappears, and somehow I always summon the energy I need to have a great workout. When I'm finished I always feel focused, organized and proud of myself for having the mental discipline to get the job done.

This morning's update has also been a struggle. I'm in a low-carb fog right now, and my thoughts are not translating to the keyboard very easily. I think I've hit the backspace key about 10,000 times over the past few paragraphs. Thankfully today is a refeed day! I'm heading straight to the kitchen as soon as I'm done typing this sentence and will begin the wonderful task of carb-loading!

April 9, 2007

I think my body is adjusting very well to the low carb/refeed part of my 2007 cutting diet.

Today is my fourth low carb day in a row (tomorrow is a refeed!), and I feel great. Last week I was feeling pretty lethargic by the 3rd low-carb day, but ever since the refeed last Thursday I've been feeling like myself. I had a very active weekend, too: double cardio sessions (30 minutes of fasted Low Intensity Steady-State (LISS) cardio in the morning, and 10 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training (HITT) in the afternoon). I also spent all day Saturday cleaning the garage, and I did a lot of physical projects around the house on Sunday. The only time I felt weak was between meal #1 and meal #2. The breakfast I'm eating on low-carb days does not provide much in the way of carbs, and it's also fairly low in calories compared to what I've become accustomed.

By the way, my eating schedule for the diet plan I'm following for weeks 14+ of my 2007 cutting program (linked above) looks like this (L=Low carb day; R=Refeed day):

DAY	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	etc...
MEAL PLAN	L	L	L	R	L	L	L	L	R	L	L	L	R	etc...

April 8, 2007

It's "Measurement Sunday", and it's been another productive week of fat loss! This week I lost 2.2 pounds of fat and a half inch from my hips and thighs. My waist size is down almost another 1/4 inch. My arms, chest, forearms and calves did not move, and that's a good thing!

This morning I'm down to 205 pounds, and my body fat percentage (as measured using a 7-site pinch test with the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers from the JSF Amazon Mall) is 9.7%! 9.7% is the highest of the three readings that we took this morning (the lowest was 9.6%, so we're getting very consistent results!)

It feels awesome to be back down below 10% body fat again! Getting from where I am now down to my goal of 6% body fat is going to be the most challenging part of my cut, so I can't let up now--and I won't.

As you'll see below, there has been a significant change to the front page of this site. For the first time since the inception of JSF back in 2003, my monthly progress photos are no longer features on the front page. Don't worry--the monthly, weekly and daily photos are still available in the pictures section of the site. The reason this change was made is because those progress pictures are very unnaturally posed, and are used only as a tool to help track my progress. Unfortunately what I saw happening was people who are new to fat loss, weight training, health and fitness were coming to this site and making some extremely inaccurate assumptions based on those photographs. I felt like prominently featuring those photos was starting to do more harm than good. Instead, I've opted to show photos that I feel are a more accurate representations of how I've transformed over the years. I hope you'll agree!

Cardio time. Have a wonderful Sunday and I'll see you tomorrow!

April 7, 2007

Over the past few days I've been thinking about why it is that so many people react with skepticism when they see transformation photos like mine. Cries of "Photoshop!" and "Steroids!" are all too common. Reading the comments posted on other sites about my transformation made one thing crystal clear: the vast majority of people have absolutely no idea how to properly lose fat and gain muscle! My jaw was often hanging open in astonishment as I read one inaccurate comment after another. Occasionally someone who obviously knew what they were talking about would chime in, but those rare voices were lost in the cacophony of misinformation.

So, it's no wonder people are skeptical. Most people who have managed to lose weight did it all wrong. They lost muscle along with the fat, and then wound up even fatter a year or so later. They see their friends and family do the same thing. The mainstream media keeps repeating the same inaccurate information, perpetuating myths that need to die.

John Stone Fitness started in 2003 as a personal blog to help me track my progress and keep me motivated, but over the years it has evolved into a place that exists in order to help educate, enlighten, inspire and motivate those of you who are serious about your health and body recomposition. Everything you see on this site is real. Every picture, every food log and every statistic. You get the good, the bad and the ugly; you see my triumphs, but you also witness my failures. I hide nothing. If I were indeed altering my images, I would always be in "perfect" shape. I would not have put on so much fat over the past winter when I was bulking. I would give myself bigger traps. I would always have a ripped mid-section. That's not reality, though. The reality is every journey has ups and downs, and those who persevere will ultimately triumph.

If you are serious about making a change and are ready to work hard, you can start off on your own incredible transformation right now, today. There is nothing stopping you but you. While you always have the option to upgrade your forum membership, everything you need to know is available to you on this site and the forum for free. This web site is here to help you, not to take your money.

Start educating yourself by reading the "sticky" threads in the Beginner's forum (the threads that are "stuck" at the very top). Feel free to check out my own detailed food logs, my training routines, my photographs, and daily news archives. I encourage you to create a free account on the forum and introduce yourself or ask any questions you may have.

I know getting started is difficult, and I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it will be easy (it won't--there are no magic bullets). What I can tell you is that if you have faith in yourself and are willing to work hard, you will be astonished at what you can accomplish using proper, healthy fat loss techniques.

April 6, 2007

Yesterday was the first "refeed" day of my weeks 14-?? cutting diet. Carbs galore, and I enjoyed every bite: 2 sweet potatoes, 2 bananas, 1 cup brown rice, 6 cups of oats, 2 cups of broccoli and pineapple! Of course I got plenty of protein, too: chicken breasts, cod fish and egg whites. Fats are kept to a minimum on refeed days, and came mostly in the form of an EFA supplement.

Because of the increased carbs and higher than normal caloric intake, I expected to have a little bit of temporary water bloat, and a corresponding scale weight gain this morning. Instead, I woke up feeling "dry", and my whole body looked very tight. My abs looked especially defined--as good as they've looked in a long, long time. My scale weight was 205.8 pounds, which is a new 2007 cutting low. My weekly body fat measurement won't be taken until Sunday, but I'll be very surprised if I'm not at or below 10% body fat. With my abs already showing so well at 10% body fat, I'm very excited about how they will look when I reach 6% body fat in 6 weeks or so.

For the third time this week, yesterday was another record-breaking day for johnstonefitness.com: an amazing 170,000 visits, 12.5 million hits and 276 Gigabytes were served up. That's staggering, especially considering that this whole site was started a little four years ago as nothing more than a personal blog to help me stay motivated. Several changes to the servers were made last night to help handle the increased demand, and things seem to be running fairly smoothly now with all areas of the site now fully functional.

I'd like to warmly welcome all the new visitors, and I sincerely hope that those of you who want to improve your health, drop some fat, add some muscle or just get in better overall shape will stick around. We support everyone here, regardless of their personal goals. Please feel free to take a few minutes and create a free account on the forum. If you are lost and don't know where to begin, start reading the sticky threads in the Beginner's forum. After you've done a little reading, feel free to post any questions you have or just introduce yourself.

Have a great day everyone--see you tomorrow!

April 5, 2007

Yesterday johnstonefitness.com once again saw record-breaking traffic: over 129,000 unique visitors, nearly 10,000,000 hits and almost 250 GBs of bandwidth. This traffic data does not include the forum, which saw near record-breaking traffic.

Considering the incredible demand, I think the servers have been doing an admirable job, but I know things have been frustratingly slow much of the time this week. I apologize for that, and I am doing everything I can to keep things under control. As a temporary measure, the pictures section of this site is disabled whenever the database server becomes overwhelmed. Again, I'm very sorry for any inconvenience!

This morning I'd like to address some of the most common comments/questions that I've seen over the past few days. A lot of these things are covered in my FAQ, but I'll talk about those things again here.

A lot of people who are not familiar with weight training and how to add muscle automatically assume I'm using/have used steroids when they see my pictures. I have never, ever used steroids, growth hormones, pro hormones or anything else of the sort. As I've always said, anyone who wants to pay for a drug test is more than welcome to step up at any time. I'll even put $5,000.00 of my own money on the table. I have absolutely nothing to hide. I do not use any drugs. My progress has come from hard work and a sound diet, and my number one priority is health. I would never do anything to jeopardize my health. I eat a very healthy, all-natural diet. All the supplements I'm using are things like amino acids and essential fatty acids. These are all-natural supplements, but people who are not familiar with them often tend to assume the worst.

One of the most amusing things I've seen are comments in the same thread that are 180 degrees apart: "Gross! He's using steroids!", which is often followed by another user's comment, "Four years? His progress sucks!" I've always maintained that my progress is nothing extraordinary. Everything I've done is 100% obtainable by anyone who wants to work for it.

The reason I look big and bloated in the Winter pictures is because during the Winter I eat like a horse while training very hard in the gym. This is called "bulking", and is done to add muscle. At the end of a bulk, I "cut", which is just a fancy way of saying I lose any fat that I put on during my bulk. I'm very "carb-sensitive", so I bloat up pretty bad while eating a very high carb diet. Also, I admit that I did put on too much fat last Winter. I'm far from perfect, but I try to learn from my mistakes. As you can see from the April 3, 2007 picture (below), I'm getting back into "beach shape", and I think I'm doing pretty well!

Many people think I'm too big, and many people think I'm too small. It's interesting to read the drastically different opinions. I have no desire to be a huge body builder. I also don't want to be skinny like I was in the summer of 2003. I was quite big this past Winter (almost 240 pounds), but in a couple of months I will be below 200 pounds again. I am aiming for a very lean, but muscular, body. This is the look I like. I think many of the people who think I'm too big would be surprised if they saw me in real life. I'm not scrawny, but I don't look anything like a "typical" bodybuilder.

Weaknesses: I'm well aware of them! It cracks me up when I read comments from people who declare that my rear delts are lagging and that I have no height to my traps, as if I had no idea. I've been working really hard to bring these weaknesses up, but those changes doesn't happen overnight. Muscle development takes years and years of hard work--especially for a natural trainee.

I don't stand with my arms puffed out normally! I only stand that way in my monthly photos so I can see my lat development. The monthly pictures are not a very good representation of how I look: they are very unnaturally posed and are used purely as a tool for tracking my progress.

My pictures are not altered/photoshopped. Most of the people who make those kinds of comments are not very familiar with this site or body recomposition in general. They see the changes in the monthly photos posted on a web site somewhere and don't think it's possible. Well, it is possible. Heck, it's not even that uncommon amongst those people who take the time to learn and then apply what they've learned. That's what this site is all about! I've posted thousands of pictures here, I've posted videos, I've met dozens of people in real life and I've documented my journey in great detail from day one. The cynics and critics are just doing the only thing they know how to do. Ignore them, and believe in yourself.

In 2003 I bleached my hair. I know it looked horrible. Oh well! That was four years ago. Let's move on.

I don't use any fake tan products, and I don't go to a tanning salon. I live in Florida, and I don't wear a shirt much of the time, so I get tan. The monthly pictures make me look much darker than I really am--seriously!

Years ago many of the comments like those I've read over the past few days really got to me. I had pretty low self-esteem back then, and there were times that I came very close to taking the site down. It was really hard for me to understand the vitriol because I was very proud of what I'd done. I couldn't wrap my head around why people were often so critical and downright nasty. I can honestly say that these kinds of comments don't get to me any more, and I only address them here because I want people to know that everything on this site is real, factual, honest and 100% achievable. I want YOU to succeed.

April 4, 2007

Considering how lethargic I felt before I started, I had a very good workout (pecs/triceps) last night! I feel like my body is doing an excellent job of adjusting to my new low carb days. As I wrote in my media journal last night, at this point in my cutting diet it's more of a mental challenge than a physical one. What I mean by that is all the energy I require to have a good performance in the gym is there waiting to be used, but pushing past the initial lethargy after a long day at work and then tapping into that energy requires a fair amount of mental discipline.

I also posted a new progress picture in last night's entry to my media journal. Here's the direct link. Even at 10.5% body fat my abs are starting to show fairly well, and my vascularity is starting to improve almost daily. By the time I reach my goal of 6% body fat in another 6-8 weeks, I'm confident that my mid-section will be the tightest it's been in my life.

This site has received a tremendous amount of exposure over the past few days. On Monday we received a record 120,000 unique visitors, and yesterday just under 100,000. I want to welcome all the new visitors to this site, and would also like to encourage those of you who want to make a change to stick around. The forum is loaded with people who have made incredible transformations. All the information and support you need is right here, and it's all free. Those of you who are serious and are willing to put some time and effort into learning and then following through will be surprised by the huge changes that can occur in a relatively short period of time. Some people look at my early progress pictures and are skeptical. I'm telling you, what I did is not special or unique. Anyone can do it, and you can too.

Today is a cardio-only day: 30 minutes of LISS this morning, and 10 minutes of HIIT this afternoon. I'd better go get on the bike--it's going to be a busy day!

April 3, 2007

Yesterday was a tough day. It was the first day of my new "refeed" diet, and my only carb intake was grapefruit and broccoli. I sure missed my morning oats! At the end of the work day it was time for my workout (back and biceps), but I was feeling very tired and lethargic. I really didn't feel like working out (a nap sounded much better!), but I knew it was important for me to fight through these first few days while my body adjusts to the new diet. I wound up having an incredible workout! After my shower I was so relaxed and tired I had trouble staying up for my last meal. Not too long after I ate my 6th meal, I went to bed and slept like a baby.

Yesterday was quite a day for the JSF servers. This site was linked to from a couple extremely large sites, and then a bunch of other sites picked up on it and everything just sort of snowballed. The JSF servers can handle a pretty good load, but they were overwhelmed much of yesterday. Yesterday JSF broke every traffic, forum and bandwidth usage record in the books. I thought it was bad when JSF was featured on Fark a couple of years ago, but that was nothing compared to yesterday!

I've also received almost 400 emails within the past 24 hours, and they are still pouring in. I promise to read every last one, but please understand there's no way I can reply to all of them.

I'd like to welcome all the new visitors to this site. I think it's great that so many of you are interested in getting in shape! You may not want to add as much muscle as I have, and you may want to add far more. You might want to be 6% body fat and have ripped abs, or maybe you just want to get rid of your gut and improve your overall health so you can keep up with your kids. We support everyone here, regardless of their personal goals. I encourage you all to create a free account on the forum. If you are lost and don't know where to begin, start reading the sticky threads in the Beginner's forum. After you've done a little reading, feel free to post any questions you have.

I've got another item that I'd like to add to my Favorite Things thread: FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Management System with FREE Composition Tracker Body Fat Tracking Software.

It's a good caliper, and it has a lot of useful features such as the ability to set up to 50 user profiles, built-in 3-site and 7-site formulas (Jackson/Pollock) and a digital display. Another cool feature is that you can also retake a single measurement without starting over if you goof up. The caliper can be run in manual mode so you can perform 9-point tests (formulas for 9-site and other tests are included with the documentation, but you'll need to compute those manually). I've found the built-in 7-point test produces the same end result as the 9-point test.

Like any skinfold caliper, practice is required to get accurate and consistent results. The 3-point test can be done without assistance, but the 7-point test requires a second person for the tricep and subscapula locations.

My only complaint is that the user interface is a little clunky and not as an intuitive as I'd like it to be. Once the profiles are set up, this is not really an issue.

The caliper comes with a pretty nice carrying case and detailed instructions.

On a related note, I'd like to thank everyone who uses the JSF Amazon Mall for all their Amazon purchases. Using the JSF Amazon Mall is a great way to help support the site and the forum with no additional cost to you. In fact, the JSF Amazon Mall software will automatically find the lowest available price when the same item is offered by multiple sellers on Amazon.

I'd better wrap up and get some breakfast in me. Have a great day!

April 2, 2007

If you missed yesterday's update, you might want to check it out: I posted my end of month stats/analysis and monthly progress photos. The easy part of my cutting phase is officially over. This morning I'm hovering just above 10% body fat, and it's time to get absolutely shredded to the bone!

Today starts the "low-carb/refeed" section of my 2007 cutting diet (here's the meal plan I'll be following). This is where self-discipline and mental toughness are going to play critical roles in how well I do. As most of you know, lifting weights is very hard work. Lifting weights is even more difficult while in a caloric deficit, and a low-carb caloric deficit takes things to a whole new level of mental toughness. These next few months are going to be some of the most mentally and physically challenging of my entire fitness journey.

Some people wonder, "Why do you choose to do this?" That's easy: I enjoy it. The mental and physical challenges I choose to take on do not exist in some sort of "fitness vacuum"; those traits may have been honed and strengthened along my ongoing fitness journey, but they also bleed over into every single part of my life. I have never been more happy, more successful or more at peace with myself than I am right now. A little over four years ago I was a physical and emotional wreck. I guess you could say that I sort of felt like I was surrounded by a total blackness. I knew I had to get to a better place, but I didn't know where to go or what to do. In those early days, fitness provided me with the path I needed to help lead me out of the murk; today it's just part of who I am.

Health and fitness changed my entire life, and that's why I'm still so passionate when I talk about it on this site every single day. I know that there are people out there who feel like I once did, and I want those people to change and feel better. When I receive an email from someone who has changed his or her life through fitness, it makes my entire day. I'm not kidding about that--I still feel a palpable rush every single time someone lets me know that this site has in some way helped improve his or her life.

Thanks for visiting--have a great day!

April 1, 2007

It's been another textbook week of fat loss (down 2 pounds), and my fat loss progress in March was also excellent!

I started off the month of March at 216.4 pounds and roughly 15% body fat. This morning I'm down to 207.2 pounds, and my body fat percentage (as measured using a 7-site pinch test with the FatTrack PRO Digital Body Fat Calipers from the JSF Amazon Mall) is 10.7%! 10.7% is the highest of the three readings that we took this morning (the lowest was 10.1%).

This past week I lost a quarter inch from my waist, a quarter inch from my hips and a quarter inch from my thighs. My arms have dipped below 17.5 inches now (cold/unpumped), so I've done what I always do and rounded down to 17.25 inches on my official stats page. I have to admit that seeing my arms below the 17.5 inch mark was a little difficult, but I got over it pretty quickly because it was fat that I lost and not muscle. I know this because my strength is still high, and the vascularity and cuts in my arms are really starting to show. The added cuts and increased vascularity actually make my arms look bigger now than they did a couple of months ago.

So I took my monthly photos this morning. I sure do look smaller this month! The biggest difference is in my legs: my quads are no longer touching! My upper body also looks smaller than last month, but that is largely due to my inconsistent posing (I usually inhale a bit to sort of accentuate my upper body, but did not this morning). My mid-section is showing more definition, but the stubborn fat below my belly button sticks out more than ever. It will definitely be the very last thing to go. My face is looking far leaner, and I'm really happy about that. I hate it when my face looks puffy, and it has for many months. I'm glad that's behind me!

By the end of April I should somewhere around 200 pounds and 8% body fat. My mid-section should be looking very tight. The trip from 8% to 6% body fat is likely going to take place in May, and should be very interesting.

Tomorrow I start the new "refeed" phase of my cutting diet! This is going to be an all new experience for me, and I'm looking forward to it a great deal. Stay tuned!

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