Daily News Archives

February 2009

02/28/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/27/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/26/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/25/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/24/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/23/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/22/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/21/2009 - No update - out of town.
02/20/2009 - See you all in about a week...
02/19/2009 - I have my cutting diet macros.
02/18/2009 - Going out of town in a couple days.
02/17/2009 - Projects.
02/16/2009 - Training program outline for upcoming cut; Procrastination.
02/15/2009 - Wonderful day yesterday; Today's plans.
02/14/2009 - Nice end to a stressful day yesterday.
02/13/2009 - Friday whining (sorry!); March "100 Challenge" open for entry.
02/12/2009 - When and why should you take time off from lifting?
02/11/2009 - Feeling better; Looking forward to my cut!
02/10/2009 - The importance of a healthy diet.
02/09/2009 - Back from vacation.
02/08/2009 - No update - on vacation.
02/07/2009 - No update - on vacation.
02/06/2009 - No update - on vacation.
02/05/2009 - No update - on vacation.
02/04/2009 - No update - on vacation.
02/03/2009 - No update - on vacation.
02/02/2009 - No update - on vacation.
02/01/2009 - End of 2008 bulk progress photos; February 2009 TSM; On vaction.

February 21, 2009 - February 28, 2009

No update - out of town.

February 20, 2009

OK folks, this will be my last update to this site until Monday, March 2nd. As soon as I return from my business trip I will get all my 2009 cutting materials (diet and training) ready for posting on March 2nd (which is when my cut starts). Daily updates to this site will resume on March 2nd, and--as always--I'll be sharing the ups and downs of my latest fitness adventure. This time the goal is to cut down to 6% body fat, and I'll be adhering to a very strict diet and training program until I reach that goal. Details to follow...

As I mentioned earlier this week, I want to redesign my training page to make it a little easier to follow. I don't know if I will have time to accomplish that goal before my next update, but I promise that this task is near the top of my "to do" list. I know that over the years my training page has grown quite lengthy and difficult to follow, so please bear with me just a little longer. I promise that I will get everything sorted so that the information you are looking for will be much easier to locate!

Alright, that's going to do it for now. I'll see you all in about a week. Train hard!

February 19, 2009

Aram sent over my cutting diet macros this morning, and I'll be working on creating my cutting meal plans as much as time allows. Unfortunately I'm probably not going to have enough spare time to get everything done prior to my final update before I go out of town (tomorrow). I'll make sure to have them ready for posting when I resume my updates (and start my cut) on Monday, March 2nd. I'm excited!

Unfortunately I am very pressed for time this morning, so I must cut this update short. I am very much looking forward to getting the upcoming week behind me so I can resume my usual routine. Back tomorrow for one final update before I leave!

February 18, 2009

It looks like I'm going to be out of town this weekend and most of next week on business. My schedule is going to be completely crazy during this time, but at least I will have computer and gym access. When I return from my trip late next week I'll be taking the remainder of the week off. I'm glad this trip is happening now, because my cut starts on Monday, March 2nd. While I'm sure I would have managed if I had to be out of town during the first week of my cut, I'm definitely glad that is not the case!

So this Friday will be my final update to this site until Monday, March 2nd. I doubt that I'm going to be able to post the details of my cutting diet and training program before I leave, so expect a big update on Monday, March 2nd with all of that information and more.

Next week I'll continue to enjoy a slightly relaxed diet before I get strict. Once I start my cut I'll be 100% committed to the program: no cheat meals, no alcohol, no missed workouts, 8 hours of rest per night and so on...

Well, my work life sure has been crazy these past couple of weeks. Hopefully next month things will be comparatively calm. Even if things don't settle down, no matter what happens I'll be taking time each and every day to train: that part of my life is not negotiable.

February 17, 2009

Yesterday was a very busy and productive day for me, but far less stressful than last week. The big project at work that I have been toiling over for that past couple of months has been a major success in beta, and now I'm in the process of rolling it out system-wide. This deployment process is fairly labor-intensive, but not especially difficult. I'm actually enjoying this phase of the project because it's fun to finally see my baby come to life and thrive in the "real-world". It will take about three days to complete this phase of the project, and then it's on to the next one.

Sometimes my job is frustrating and demanding, but I always love working on big projects that challenge my skills. I guess my on-the-job work ethic is no different than my attitude in the gym: give me a challenge, push me past my limits, take me outside my comfort zone... do all of that and more, just please don't bore me!

Speaking of projects, I've been working on something in my spare time that is related to JSF. I can't really talk about it yet (sorry to be so vague), but this is something that I'm quite excited about. As soon as I can say something publicly I will. In the meantime, I'll be diligently plugging away in the background.

I'm late for breakfast, so I'd better get in the kitchen. Have a great day!

February 16, 2009

The big news this morning is that I just received the training program for my upcoming cut (which starts on March 2, 2009) from Aram! I'm going to need some time to get the complete program ready to post here, so today I'll simply talk about the general outline of what I'll be doing. On a related note, I really need to give my Training Page a makeover; over the years it's become rather long, unwieldy and difficult to follow. I hope to have time to redesign that page sometime this week.

So the basic outline of my 2009 cutting program looks like this (of course this may change as I progress):

MONDAY: Legs
TUESDAY: Chest
WEDNESDAY: HIIT Cardio
THURSDAY: Back & Biceps
FRIDAY: Delts & Triceps
SATURDAY: HIIT Cardio
SUNDAY: Off

I'll be alternating between two different lifting routines each week. Many more details to come, including the specific exercises I'll be using and--of course--my complete diet.

Ah, Monday. While this week promises to be another busy one, I hope it's a little less "eventful" than last week. Lisa and I got the house cleaning done yesterday (and we did a bang-up job), and I also took care of quite a few other projects that needed attention over the weekend. Having all that stuff done feels good, and reduces the total pressure level quite a lot. I don't think I'll ever understand why I used to procrastinate so much before I got in shape; doing so made me feel miserable. Now it's very rare for me to push something off that needs to be done. If you have to do something you don't want to do, it's always best to just do it and get it over with! Putting it off is only going to make you feel like crap.

On that note, I'd better get to work. Have a great day!

February 15, 2009

After a pretty rough week, yesterday was my day to relax and enjoy some time off with Lisa and the dogs. We decided to postpone our weekly house cleaning until today, and instead went up to the theater and watched a movie and munched on popcorn. A bit later I cooked an incredible (if I may brag a bit) grilled NY strip steak dinner, which we enjoyed with a good bottle of red wine. After dinner we shared a small box of chocolates. It was a nice, relaxing and fun evening--just what I needed!

This morning I've got quite a bit to do, including the house cleaning that we skipped yesterday. The house is pretty messy, so this is not going to be a quick dash around with the duster and vacuum.

I know I've been talking a lot about random personal stuff lately, but that's only because right now I'm in sort of a transition stage between my bulk and my upcoming cut. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be sharing the details of my complete cutting diet and training program (which will be designed by Mastover), and once my cut starts on March 2, 2009 my updates will once again be almost entirely focused on my progress.

Well, I'd better roll up my sleeves and get to work. Enjoy your Sunday!

February 14, 2009

"Whew!". That word nicely sums up how yesterday turned out. I was on pins and needles worrying that I would not have air conditioning over the entire weekend, and/or that the repairs would set me back over a grand. Well, as it turns out the company that installed the A/C system in our new home (which is now six weeks out of warranty) made an afternoon service call and took care of the repairs at no charge! When the repairs were completed it was 86 degrees in my office (thanks to all the computers I have running in here); the cool air and relief of not having to write a huge check put me in a fantastic mood. A very nice end to a difficult week.

I've been in contact with Aram, and he's working on my 2009 cut diet and training plans. I'm very excited to see what he comes up with, and even more excited to get started! I think this cut is going to take no more than 3 or 4 months, so I should be pretty ripped up by the end of June. Expect some of the details of what's to come to start appearing on this site over the next week or so.

February 13, 2009

I can't believe I just returned from my vacation 4 days ago. It feels more like a year has gone by. I think I'm more stressed out now than I was before my vacation. Sometimes I wonder about the logic of taking a week off from work; the first week back on the job is invariably at least twice as busy and stressful as a normal week.

On a bright note I did complete the major project that I have been working on, and yesterday I successfully deployed it on a trial basis. I found a few problems that I'll need to address, but so far I'm very pleased with how well it's working. If I can get the bugs squashed I should be able to deploy the project everywhere.

Adding to the fun, last night the primary downstairs air conditioner stopped working. Of course the system is 1 month out of warranty, and I doubt I'm going to get much sympathy from the builder or the company that installed it. I'm pretty sure the compressor went out, which--of course--is by far the most expensive part in the heat pump. I've got so many computers and so forth running in my office that it's already uncomfortably hot in here. By this afternoon my office is going to feel like an oven. I hope I can get someone out today to fix it.

Um, wow.... I'm really sorry about the uncharacteristic bitch-fest this morning. I guess I just needed to vent a little bit. I didn't sleep well last night, I've got an incredibly busy day ahead, no air conditioning and a looming repair bill I can't really afford (and shouldn't have to pay). At least it's Friday!

I've opened the March 2009 "100 Challenge" for entry. Details are immediately below...

Registration for the March 2009 "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EST) on March 1, 2009 if you plan to participate--NO EXCEPTIONS! To participate, you must be a member of the forum. If you are not a member, simply create a free account. It can take up to 24 hours for your account to be activated, so don't wait until the last minute to register! For all the details, official rules and sample entry data, just head over to the March 2009 "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!

February 12, 2009

When, how often and for how long trainees should take time off from lifting is a subject that I see come up a lot on the forums. Some people take a week off as frequently as every 4 or 5 weeks, and some people just "deload" every so often without ever taking a complete break from lifting. I guess I fall somewhere in the middle: I like to take a week completely off from training every 8-16 weeks. Usually the 12 week mark is about right for me, but I modify this based on my training program and how I'm feeling. For example, I just completed a 17 week bulk without taking any time off. 17 weeks is REALLY pushing it, but I think I made the right call. Experiment and listen to your body; over time you'll learn what works best for you.

Some people worry that taking a week off from training will result in a loss of size and/or strength, however most people report coming back from a break stronger than ever. This makes sense because a week off is really not that much time, and our bodies generally respond quite favorably to an extended rest and recovery period. Personally I tend to come back from a week-long break a little weaker, but I seem to be in the minority there. No worries, though--I usually have my strength back to where it was after just a couple of weeks.

While I tend to lose a bit of strength on these breaks, I come back mentally and physically refreshed, and that's very important. At the end of the 17 week bulk I just completed I had a number of nagging aches and pains: left hip pain, right shoulder pain, tendonitis in both of my elbows and lower back pain. These aches and pains are pretty common for most people (especially at my age) who lift heavy and with extreme intensity, but after just a week off all of those annoying "injuries" are completely gone.

I'm going to wrap up this update and get back to my big project at work now. I made some great progress on the project yesterday, and I think I may be able to complete it today!

February 11, 2009

After just a couple of days back on my regular diet I'm feeling more like my usual self. As I mentioned earlier this week, it's not like I ate a bunch of junk food on my week off, but I guess my body was missing the usual steady stream of nutrients. Also, it occurred to me that I was pretty run down after 17 weeks of hard training, and going off my diet (and missing a lot of meals) was probably a bad idea while in that state. Anyway, I'm glad that I avoided getting sick; on Monday morning I sure felt like I was heading down that path.

I'm very much looking forward to my upcoming cut! Right now I'm taking a few weeks to sort of "coast" and get mentally prepared for the many challenges ahead. I can already feel the excitement building in me, and on March 2, 2009 I'll come flying out of the gate and won't slow down until I reach my goal of 6% body fat. As I did on my highly successful 2007 cut to 6% body fat, I'll be working with my friend, JSF Forum Sponsor and professional natural bodybuilder Aram Hamparian on this cut. I know that many of you enjoy following my progress, and so I'm very pleased that Aram and I have reached a special agreement that will allow me to post my complete diet and training (this client/trainer information is normally confidential). Expect to see a lot of that information over the next few weeks!

I've made a very nice dent in my post-vacation workload, but today I need to shift gears a bit and do my best complete a major project that I've been working on. If all goes well, I'll start deploying the project tomorrow. Wish me luck!

February 10, 2009

Despite a week off from everything, yesterday I was actually feeling a bit run down and "off". I know exactly why, too: my diet while on vacation was poor. Like I said yesterday, I didn't really eat a lot of junk food while I was on vacation, but I skipped a bunch of meals and my overall nutrition was very sub-par (I didn't have so much as a single serving of veggies). It's amazing to me that there was a time when how I felt yesterday was "normal"; not exactly sick, but far from well. At the end of my bulk I was tired and a bit banged up, but I otherwise felt pretty darn incredible. My clean, nutritious diet was directly responsible for that. I'm back to my normal diet now (basically my bulking diet, with a few hundred calories trimmed) and I expect that within a few days I'll be feeling 100% again. I don't care what your goal is (even if your goal is to simply maintain): a healthy diet is absolutely critical, and should be your top priority.

Today is my first day back to work, and I've got an incredible amount of catching up to do. I'm going to wrap up here, go get breakfast started and start making a dent in my workload. I suspect that by the end of the week I'll need another vacation...

February 9, 2009

I'm back from my week-long vacation!

After four (plus) months of being 100% strict with my meals, my training, work, this site, the forums and so on, it felt so good to wake up last Monday morning with absolutely no obligations and nothing to do for an entire week. I knew I needed some time off, but I don't think I fully realized just how much I needed to unwind until the second or third day of my vacation.

I really didn't have many cheat meals: I had pizza twice (and not very much of it), and I ate some popcorn. I had a glass of wine for the first time in over four months, and didn't really enjoy it. I was slightly surprised to find that the greatest part of relaxing my diet was not the "permission" I gave myself to eat junk food if I wanted it: it was the freedom of not needing to cook every 2 damn hours! I found myself skipping a lot of meals. Well, good for me.

My weight is actually down 5 pounds this morning (215.2 pounds). A big part of this drop in weight was that I cycled off creatine. In fact, other than fish oil and my multi-vitamin I didn't take any supplements.

I actually wound up working one full day during my vacation, so I've got today off from work as compensation. That's cool, my first week back will feel like a short week.

I had a lot of fun over the past week, but I am eager to return to my "normal" life now. So, on that note, it's time for breakfast!

February 2, 2009 - February 8, 2009

No update - on vacation.

February 1, 2009

I've got a big update for this morning, so let's get right to it!

First I'd like to remind everyone that as of this morning I'm on vacation for one week! I will be taking the upcoming week off from lifting, work and updating this site. My normal daily updates will resume on Monday, February 9, 2009.

As most of you know, I completed my extended (17 week) 2008 bulk a few days ago. Overall I'm very pleased with the lean mass gains I made, and that I was able to make those gains while adding a minimal amount of fat. This morning I've got my monthly progress photos, which also happen to be my final 2008 bulk progress photos.

By the way, if you missed my January 25, 2009 update, that is the update in which I went over all my 2008 bulking progress statistics (lean mass, fat, measurements and so on...)

So, here are this month's pictures compared to my pre-bulk pictures taken just four months ago:

October 1, 2008 195 Pounds 11.8% body fat	February 1, 2009 220.2 Pounds 13.8% body fat	October 1, 2008 195 Pounds 11.8% body fat	February 1, 2009 220.2 Pounds 13.8 body fat

2008 Bulk (Front)		2008 Bulk (Profile)

I feel that this was my most effective bulk yet: I added a significant amount of lean mass, my overall symmetry is greatly improved (but admittedly far from perfect) and my fat gains were relatively insignificant. The gains in my quads, hamstrings, lats and chest have improved my desired "X" shape, and that "X" will become much more evident as I cut down to 6% body fat over the next few months. My biggest weakness continues to be my traps. I gave my traps a considerable amount of extra attention over the past 17 weeks. While they did show some improvement in height, they continue to be a very weak area for me. I will redouble my efforts.

I thought it would be interesting to see how I look now compared to how I looked at the end of my last bulk. It's worth noting that I have almost exactly the same lean mass in both photos, but in the 2007 photo I was carrying about 15 more pounds of fat. In addition to finishing this bulk with far less adipose, I also feel that the lean mass I have now is distributed more symmetrically.

January 1, 2007 [End of 2006 bulk]	February 1, 2009 [End of 2008 bulk]	January 1, 2007 [End of 2006 bulk]	February 1, 2009 [End of 2008 bulk]

2006 Vs. 2008 bulk (Front)		2006 Vs. 2008 bulk (Profile)

Keep in mind that after my 2006 bulk I cut down to 6% body fat and had what I feel was the best physique of my life (July 2007). Comparing my current end of bulk pictures to my 2006 end of bulk pictures has me very excited about my upcoming cut. I suspect that when I get back down to 6% body fat I'm going to blow my July 2007 physique out of the water!

If you missed it, here's my 2008 bulk progress video (you can subscribe and find more of my videos on my YouTube channel):

I've received an incredible amount of positive feedback about the new Transformation Spotlight of the Month feature. I think it's safe to say that the TSM is now a permanent part of JSF. My goal is to feature a wide variety of transformations that will inspire, enlighten and educate. I think you'll agree that our February 2009 TSM more than meets those requirements...

For the February 2009 TSM I've selected forum member Chicanerous. Chicanerous (Adam) has made one the most impressive, dynamic and multi-faceted transformations I've seen. In the five years that Adam has been a member of the JSF forums he's transformed from a total beginner into one of the most knowledgeable, insightful and experienced posters anywhere. Adam may be smart, but don't make the mistake of assuming he's merely a keyboard warrior! Adam's physical transformation is every bit as impressive as his mental one: over the years he has added an incredible 75 pounds of muscle, and is moving some serious weight in the gym.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Adam on the 2008 JSF Cruise. I found Adam to be thoughtful, intelligent, humble and humorous. It's difficult to believe that he is only 21 years old. I know that great things are in store for this young man.

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