Daily News Archives

September 2009

09/30/2009 - Incredible weather this morning; I want a bike.
09/29/2009 - Stir fry recipe!
09/28/2009 - Good weekend; Leg day; Mastover sale ending soon.
09/27/2009 - I'm an idiot.
09/26/2009 - Garden photos; Surprise for Lisa.
09/25/2009 - Stir fry is actually tonight; Eating a little Facebook and Twitter crow.
09/24/2009 - My grill had a part go bad; Stir fry tonight!
09/23/2009 - Stressful day yesterday, but great workout; On CNN.
09/22/2009 - Work problems, Internet problems...
09/21/2009 - Cutting plans; Vacation day today.
09/20/2009 - Loki and the popcorn machine; 3 things I do in the gym (and that's it!)
09/19/2009 - So sore; Some new menu ideas; Saturday plans.
09/18/2009 - Back workout; Semi-rant on "The Sun" article; Good interview yesterday.
09/17/2009 - Legs still really sore; Today's back workout; Tired.
09/16/2009 - Very sore; No workout today; Exciting BodyShop news!
09/15/2009 - Awesome leg workout; Sriracha; Welcome new visitors; My Sago is breaking!
09/14/2009 - Initial fat loss video is viral again; Some common comments addressed.
09/13/2009 - More on the JSF BodyShop; Taking today off; October "100 Challenge".
09/12/2009 - Woke on time; Lat strain; We need your help; My fat loss animation.
09/11/2009 - Overslept, way behind.
09/10/2009 - Today's back/biceps workout; Going to cut soon.
09/09/2009 - Bad day at work, but great workout yesterday; Bloat.
09/08/2009 - Skipped my workout yesterday; TSM suggestions.
09/07/2009 - Yesterday was fun; Groggy; Today is leg day.
09/06/2009 - Fun day ahead!
09/05/2009 - Weekend plans; Feta burger perfected; TSM nominations.
09/04/2009 - Great workout yesterday; JSF BodyShop news; Weekend plans.
09/03/2009 - Back and biceps today, going heavy; PWO messes; JSF web site update.
09/02/2009 - Really sore; Cholula rules; Twitter is actually pretty cool, dang it.
09/01/2009 - Incredible leg workout; Mastover 15% off sale; September TSM.

September 30, 2009

It's a beautiful morning: the air is a cool 64 degrees and the sky is clear. Lisa and I have been talking about how much fun it would be to start going for long bike rides, and weather like this is perfect for that. We don't own bikes, and with the whole job situation still up in the air I can't really justify any non-essential expenses right now. As I understand it, decent low-end bikes start at around $500 or $600. Maybe I could keep my eyes open for used bikes. I know people are always selling unused exercise equipment for pennies on the dollar. I wonder if the same is true for bikes? Any thoughts?

I don't train today, and I'm not going to do any cardio, either. I'm feeling pretty beat up from this week's workouts, and I need to give my body a day of rest. Actually, I think it's been a long time since I took a week off from training--probably too long. I've been having a little lower back pain, some pain in my hip and my forearm and elbow have what feels like tendonitis. I may take a week off sometime over the next month and let some of these minor (but annoying) aches and pains heal up.

Last chance to register for the October 2009 "100 Challenge"! It starts tomorrow at 7:00 AM, so be sure to get your registration post up today!

September 29, 2009

Last night I finally got around to making the stir fry that I'd planned to make last week. It was even better than I expected it to be! I may play around with the ingredients the next time I make the dish, but I think the version I made last night is worthy of a post. Keep in mind that I made this based on tasting while I cooked, but I'll do my best to provide the measurements I used.

12 Oz grilled chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized chunks (shrimp would also be great)
1 bag of frozen stir fry veggies (I used asparagus, broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, cauliflower, red peppers and peas)
1/2 cup red onion, rough chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2-4 tablespoons Sriracha (taste and add more if you like heat)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup chicken broth

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over fairly high heat (I put my burner on 8). Add the veggies, onion and chicken (it will splatter, so keep kids and pets away). Cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and ginger during the final minute of cooking. Remove all ingredients from the skillet (or push to the side if using a wok), lower the heat a bit and prepare the sauce by combining the last 5 ingredients, stirring constantly until smooth. Add more Sriracha if you want a spicier stir fry, and add more chicken broth if you want more sauce. Taste as you go. Toss the chicken and veggies back in, and cook for about another minute, stirring constantly.

That's about it! I served this over a bed of brown rice, and Lisa and I both loved it. I actually used 1 tablespoon of grated ginger last night, but I found the ginger to be a bit overpowering (my only complaint about the dish); I've adjusted the above recipe accordingly.

I forgot to take a picture, but I'll get one next time and add the recipe to the recipe section of this site. By the way, a huge "thank you!" to my mom and forum member "MannishBoy" for their invaluable contributions to this healthy and delicious dish!

September 28, 2009

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. My weekend was a near-perfect blend of fun, work and stupidity. I feel good this morning, and I'm looking forward to a productive week of work and, of course, some awesome workouts!

Today is leg day, and I'm going to be doing the same brutal workout that I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. I'm going to ratchet the weights up once again this week, and that's going to be no easy task.

I've got to get to work, but before I sign off I've got a couple of reminders...

Aram "Mastover" Hamparian has been running a 15% sale all month long, but there are only a couple of days left to get in on this great deal. Aram's experience as a professional natural bodybuilder and personal trainer will take the guesswork out of your diet and training and allow you to focus entirely on executing the plan. I've worked with Aram several times, and I highly recommend him! Check out all the details here.

If you want to get in on the October 2009 "100 Challenge" you've only got a couple of days left to join! Details are immediately below...

September 27, 2009

Yesterday was extremely productive: I did a few hours of gardening, cleaned the house from top to bottom (Lisa was blown away when she got home from work and saw what I'd done) and did some work on the new JSF web site. I posted some pictures of the gardens on Facebook, but I'm not real happy with how they came out. The front of my home faces West, and the low morning sun made for some overblown and very shadowy photographs. Maybe if the weather is nice I'll take a new set of photos this afternoon.

So yesterday I did one of the dumbest things I've done in long, long time. As I mentioned, I got out in the gardens did a couple hours of work: I trimmed the plants and palms, and then I fertilized, trimmed and "deadheaded" all the rose bushes. When I finished up I was hot, sweaty, tired, out of water and dying for a shower. I walked into the garage, and noticed that the water softener's salt level warning light was illuminated. I grabbed a 60 pound bag of rock salt, cut it open, dumped it into the salt tank and reset the salt level in the softener's computer. Satisfied, I turned toward the door leading to the house, when suddenly it dawned on me that I'd just done something incredibly stupid. I always lock the door to the house when I do yard work, but I don't like carrying the keys with me because I wear loose shorts and I'm paranoid that they keys could fall out and be lost. So I hide them. In the garage. In the water softener's salt tank. Yeah: I buried my keys under 60 effing pounds of salt. The tank is hard-plumbed, so it's not like I could tip it over, and it's not big enough to get a shovel in there. It took a couple minutes for the reality of my situation to sink in, and then I began to dig, one handful at a time. Remember I said that I trimmed and deadheaded all those rose bushes? My hands were covered with dozens of tiny nicks and cuts, and I was quite literally rubbing salt into my wounds each time I reached in for another handful. It took me about 30 minutes to dig my way down to the keys. Yeah, go ahead and laugh it up, I totally deserve it...

Anyway, today I'm not going to do anything that requires physical effort or the use of my sun-fried brain. Enjoy your Sunday!

September 26, 2009

It is an absolutely beautiful morning! I love to walk my gardens while it's still relatively cool outside, and this morning I thought everything looked especially beautiful because the sprinkler system had been running and all the plants were shimmering in the early morning light. I haven't taken a complete set of photos of my gardens since spring, so I grabbed my camera and took a bunch of pictures. After I finish writing this update I'll get them uploaded to my Facebook and also to my personal web site. I should have them uploaded by around 10:00 AM EDT. Feel free to check them out if you want!

Poor Lisa has been working her butt off, and has been under a lot of pressure at work these days. She put in an 11 hour day yesterday, she's working again today and next week is going to be even worse. Normally Lisa and I clean the house together on Sunday mornings, but I'm going to surprise her and clean the entire house today so she won't have to worry about any of that tomorrow when she finally has a day off. Even for two people cleaning this place is a pretty big job, so I've definitely got a pretty busy day ahead me.

No training today, so once I finish cleaning I'm going to treat myself to some popcorn a movie. Have a great day!

September 25, 2009

The replacement part for my grill came in late yesterday afternoon, but it started pouring down rain as I tried to make the repair. I decided to postpone the chicken and veggie stir fry that I mentioned in yesterday's update and, after a brief discussion with Lisa (ME: "Pizza?", LISA: "Oh hell yes!"), we elected to have our weekly cheat meal a day early. Tonight I'm making the stir fry for sure.

Last weekend when Lisa went shopping the store was all out of plain egg whites, so she bought Egg Beaters "Southwestern" flavor. Man, I used to eat Southwestern Egg Beaters all the time a few years ago. I'd almost forgotten how good they are. They are even better with a little fresh cilantro tossed in and some Cholula hot sauce.

I'm so glad that it's Friday! This week has been a very busy and often stressful, so a couple days off sounds great about now. I started working at 6:30 AM this morning, and my hope is to finish up by 3:00 PM or so. I'm going to push my delt & traps workout from my usual mid-day time until after I finish up at work.

AtLarge Nutrition is still running their blowout sale on select products. The price cuts are insane, so take a moment to check out all the details here.

Before I wrap up this update, I need to eat a little crow. I have been pretty critical of both Facebook and Twitter at various times in the past, and my criticisms were not based on first-hand experience. I started using Facebook a little over a year ago, and over the past year the service has really grown on me: I've reconnected with many old friends, and I really enjoy the casual daily interaction with my all my friends, JSF Members and family. Twitter was an even harder sell: I was 100% convinced that I would find Twitter trite, useless and irritating. I have to admit that over the past few weeks I've grown fond of Twitter, too. Believe me, I never thought I'd say that! Anyway, feel free to friend me on Facebook and/or follow me on Twitter if you want. I talk about JSF and fitness stuff, of course, but mostly you'll find me rambling on about my daily life and commenting on yours. I try to keep things light and fun.

September 24, 2009

After many years of 100% reliable operation, a couple days ago my Weber Genesis gas grill had its first part go bad. The part that failed (the gas line assembly that attaches to the propane cylinder) was not expensive, but it's been rough not having a grill for the past few days because I use the grill at least 4 or 5 times per week. The replacement part will be here today, and I've got some chicken breasts defrosted and ready to go.

What I'm going to do with the chicken is a little bit different than usual, however: tonight I'm going to make a stir fry! I'm going to play around with the ingredients as I cook, but the base ingredients I'll be using look something like this: chopped grilled chicken, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, yellow squash, cauliflower, red peppers, peas, Sriracha, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, natural peanut butter, fresh garlic and fresh ginger. I'll serve everything on a bed of brown rice. I'm really looking forward to this. I'll let you all know how the dish turns out in tomorrow's update.

Time for me to get to work. I hope you have a great day!

September 23, 2009

Yesterday was a rather stress-filled and difficult day at work. Sometimes I really love technology and working in IT, but days like yesterday make me wonder why I don't live in a secluded cabin by a lake. Thankfully my phone, cell and pager were all silent overnight, and I slept like a baby.

If you think I'd let a busy day at work kept me out of the gym, then you're crazy! Actually, I was really looking forward to taking some of the stress I was feeling out on the iron. Yesterday I worked my chest and triceps. I did 3 sets of DB bench presses supersetted with close-grip barbell bench press, 3 sets of weighted chest dips with 30 seconds of rest, 2 triple drop sets of tricep bench dips and incline burnout DB flyes supersetted with rope pressdowns. I've been doing this particular workout for a few weeks now, and I really like it. I was able to increase weight and/or reps over last week's workout on every exercise. I guess I used that stress to my advantage!

My initial fat loss video was featured yesterday by Jarrett Bellini in a video segment on CNN. I don't think I'm ever going to live down those M&M boxer shorts. I'd like to thank my wife for buying those horrible shorts for me, and then insisting that they were cool until I actually believed her. I digress... Unfortunately proper credit was not given for my images, which is a little frustrating. I contacted Jarrett, so we'll see if anything can be done to correct things.

I don't train today, but I'm going to get an afternoon HIIT cardio session in. Right now what I need to do is go get breakfast started--I'm starving! Have a great day!

September 22, 2009

This is going to have to be a quick update. I woke up to all sorts of problems at work, and those problems have been compounded by my Internet access going up and down all morning. Thankfully I all can tether my cell phone and use the EVDO network for Internet access, but the speed is really slow compared to my cable modem.

I have to get back to work, but I want to note for posterity that yesterday's leg workout was outstanding--even better than last week's leg workout!

Sorry about the brief post today!

September 21, 2009

I can't believe we're already approaching the end of September! I need to figure out what I'm going to do this winter with regards to my diet and training. I've been contemplating starting a cut sometime in October November, but I'm not sure that I want to be dieting down over the holidays. I think it will only take about three months to get back down 8% body fat, so starting the cut in January would have me ripped up in plenty of time for "shirtless" weather. Another compelling argument for waiting until January is that lots and lots of people will be coming to this site in January for the first time, and it would be fun to work towards similar goals alongside the new members--maybe even join a few "100 Challenges"!

I'm taking a vacation day from work today. This will actually be the last of the unused vacation days that rolled over from last year. I still have something like 23 or 24 vacation days that reset at the beginning of August! I think I'm going to spend the day working on the web site redesign, and of course I've got a tough leg workout this afternoon as well. I'm looking forward to the leg workout quite a lot; I'm pretty fired up about besting last week's awesome leg training session!

September 20, 2009

Yesterday after I ran a few morning errands it was already way too hot for yard work, so I decided to goof around all day. I played in a poker tournament (did very well, too!) and then watched a movie with Lisa and Loki. We made popcorn and, as he always does, Loki freaked out. I really have to get some video of Loki losing his mind as the popcorn pops (I do have some amusing footage on Youtube of Loki and Turtle scrambling to eat popcorn). Even when the popcorn machine is idle, Loki will go upstairs at least 2 or 3 times every day and just stare at it like it's a god or something.

My legs are finally no longer sore--just in time for tomorrow's leg workout! I'm going to do the exact same workout that I did last week, except I'm going to up the weight on every exercise. The workout is very demanding, but that's what I love most about it. I'll never understand how some people can feel satisfied just going through the motions when they are in the gym. Part of the reason I like working out alone so much is because I get so focused that having anyone around would be pointless. As far as I'm concerned there's only three things you should do in a gym: lift, adjust the equipment/weight and think about the next set. That's it.

Well, I guess I have to go clean the house now. Not my favorite job, but I hate having a messy house even more. Enjoy your day!

September 19, 2009

This past week I've had some amazing, extremely intense workouts. I am so ready for a couple of days off from training--my entire body is aching! My legs are still sore from Monday's workout, but thankfully this morning the soreness has subsided into a dull ache. It's nice to be able to walk again!

This week I'm going to try preparing some new Asian dishes. I'm going to serve shrimp and veggie spring rolls along with a Sriracha-based dipping sauce recipe that my mom suggested. The dipping sauce is made with Sriracha, natural peanut butter, soy sauce, chopped garlic, fresh ginger and toasted sesame oil. I think I'm also going to play around with variations on that sauce and use it in a chicken and veggie stir fry. I think meals like these served with some brown rice will make for a healthy, delicious and nutritious PWO (post-workout) meal #2.

I've got some errands to run this morning, and then I think I'm going to get outside and do some work in my gardens. It's still awfully hot outside, and I'm really looking forward to some cooler weather. I always love working in the garden, but it's especially enjoyable in cooler weather.

AtLarge Nutrition is having a blowout sale! Some select products have been reduced by crazy amounts. This sale is not going to last long, so don't wait to order. Check out all the details here.

Thanks for stopping by--I hope you have a fantastic day!

September 18, 2009

I had a very good workout yesterday. The rack pulls hit my back hard and didn't ask much from my legs, which are still sore from Monday's leg workout. If I am recalling correctly, my legs have actually been sore as much as 10 days after particularly brutal leg workouts. That degree of soreness is far from the norm for me, however. I think the reason my legs are extra sore this week is two-fold: I switched all my leg exercises around this week, and the volume was insane (36 reps lying leg curls, 36 reps leg extensions, 60 reps squats and 27 reps burnout/failure Bulgarian split squats).

So this article, in which my old time-lapse transformation video is featured, is running in the UK publication "The Sun". The author of the article incorrectly identifies me as "an unknown American man named Stephen" when the very Youtube video (which, btw I did not post) that he references has a link to my site in the description. A half-second of research would have given him my name and all the information he'd ever need to write the article. But that's not even why I'm annoyed. The reason I'm irked is because quite a few people contacted me to let me know that they emailed the author with the correct information. In fact, I did so myself. All the emails were ignored. Further, several people told me that they commented on the article with my name and the JSF URL, and they didn't allow any of them through! That's pretty weak, as my material is copyrighted and all I am asking for is proper credit.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon I did a phone interview with another UK-based media company. The interviewer had obviously done her homework, and I thought that she asked well thought-out and relevant questions. I gave them a UK exclusive, but they also have worldwide distributions rights, so this interview could appear in quite a few publications worldwide. We'll see...

AtLarge Nutrition is having a blowout sale! Some select products have been reduced by crazy amounts. This sale is not going to last long, so don't wait to order. Check out all the details here.

I have to get to work. Happy Friday!

September 17, 2009

Today is my back and biceps workout, but my legs are still way too sore from Monday's workout to do deadlifts. I was talking about this last night on Facebook, and Phil R. suggested rack pulls as a good alternative. I think that is an excellent suggestion, so I'm going to do the same back and biceps workout I did last week with this one substitution.

I stayed up about an hour past my usual bedtime last night, and I sure felt it when I woke up at 6:00 AM this morning. I'm such a huge wimp when it comes to sleep. I just don't function well without at least 7 hours of sleep, and 8 is ideal.

Just a quick reminder: personal trainer Aram "Mastover" Hamparian is running a 15% off sale all this month. The 15% off sale applies to all of his training and nutrition programs. Working closely one-on-one with an experienced and knowledgeable trainer may be just what you need to succeed. I've worked with Mastover several times, and I highly recommend him. Check out the details on the sale here, or just click over to his website.

I've got a lot of work to accomplish today, so I'd better get going. Train hard, and have a great day!

September 16, 2009

My quads, hamstrings and glutes are so fried from Monday's workout that I'm having a very difficult time moving around. I always like to take an early morning walk around my gardens, and this morning I was visibly wincing as I hobbled around. No one seemed to notice. I guess all the people who were out jogging and saw me know what it's like to be very sore.

Thankfully my aching wheels had no effect on yesterday's chest and triceps workout, which was excellent! You may recall that I switched my chest and triceps workout around last week, and I did the same workout this week (3 sets of DB bench presses supersetted with close-grip barbell bench press, 3 sets of weighted chest dips with 30 seconds of rest, 2 triple drop sets of tricep bench dips and incline burnout DB flyes supersetted with rope pressdowns). I managed to increase weight and/or reps on every single exercise.

I've got today off from training - I'm not even going to do any cardio. I think my body will benefit from a day of total rest.

One final piece of good news before I wrap today's update up. Initially I felt that the upcoming JSF BodyShop website would have to be a subscription-based pay site, which is a departure from the free/optional donation system used by JSF and the JSF Forums. Unfortunately the development, hardware, bandwidth and administration costs for BodyShop are quite high, but after speaking with the developer of the project yesterday afternoon we think there's a very good chance that we can come up with an advertising-based business plan that would allow BodyShop to be 100% free of charge. This would be awesome, because JSF has always been about freedom of information and giving people the tools and support they need to succeed for free. I'll keep you posted!

September 15, 2009

I've been going pretty heavy with squats lately, so yesterday I decided to change things up a bit and do a higher volume workout. I started off with a throwback to the SGX style of leg training: I pre-exhausted with leg extensions and lying leg curls, and then I did 3 sets of 20 back squats with just one minute of rest between each set. It's been awhile since I've done that kind of volume for squats, so I had to make an educated guess at how much weight to use. I pretty much nailed the correct weight: when I racked the bar at the end of the last set I was about as close to failure as one can get. I'm still not sure how I completed the last few reps. After the squats I took about four minutes of rest, and then I did a set of burnout Bulgarian split squats. What a workout!

I finally remembered to purchase some Sriracha. I know I'm a late to the game, but until yesterday I'd never eaten Sriracha before. I put some all over my grilled chicken breast yesterday and it was extremely good! It was hotter than I expected, but I love heat so that's a good thing. Forum member MannishBoy suggested that I mix the Sriracha with some natural peanut butter for sort of an Asian peanut sauce. I'm going to try that today. I'm also going to play around with some stir fry ideas. I think the Sriracha is going to be too spicy for Lisa's tastes, unfortunately.

I know there are a lot of new visitors to the site - welcome! If you are interested, feel free to check out yesterday's update for some background information about my old transformation video that's making the rounds again. There's also some good information that will help get you started on your own transformation. Armed with the proper information, anyone can make amazing changes to his or her health and physique. You'll find all the information you need here at JSF, and it's 100% free.

One final thing before I sign off. As many of you know I'm really into gardening. This morning when I went outside I was surprised to see that my Sago is finally "breaking" (the emergence of new fronds). My Sago did not break in May or June, which is the usual time for that. Here we are in September, and it's happening. I've been growing Sagos for many years and never seen one break in September. I don't know, maybe it's more common than I thought? Anyway, here's a picture. By the way, the black stuff around the fronds are coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are an excellent all-natural way to keep Asian scale away (Asian scale is a huge problem, and will kill your Sago FAST). Try it!

Sago

September 14, 2009

My initial transformation video from way back in 2003 has gone viral again. Quite a few of the sites that posted my video didn't link to this site or provide any back story, which is too bad. If you are one of those people who just saw my video for the first time, I'd like to address a few common comments...

The transformation is 100% real. I took a picture every day from January 6, 2003 through April 28, 2004 (I believe the video currently being circulated only shows the first year or so, however). I did not, nor have I ever, used steroids. Yes, I was way too tan back then (also, that was a real tan - I live in Florida and spent a lot of time outside with my shirt off once I lost the fat). I agree that many of my boxer shorts were ridiculous, especially the M&M boxers. I also agree that the bleached hair was a terrible decision, and I am keenly aware of how stupid it looked. Clearly I was very skinny and didn't have much muscle at the end of my first fat loss phase, but I've added a lot of muscle since then (adding muscle takes a lot of time, especially if you're natural).

I guess my mindset after losing all the fat was to change everything about my "old" self. That led to some poor choices, like the over-the-top tan and the bleached hair. I have no defense for the boxer shorts, except that my wife bought them for me and she liked them. Things settled down over time.

I address many more common questions in my FAQ.

Anyway, among the usual cries of "Fake!" and "Douchebag!", there are people who are genuinely interested in how I lost all that fat and got in shape. Those people are the reason this site is still here after all these years. If you are interested in learning how to get in shape, start educating yourself by reading these threads on the forums. You can also check out my food logs, my training routines 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. If you are willing to put some time and effort into it, you can make incredible changes in a relatively short period of time!

September 13, 2009

Yesterday afternoon I had a very productive conversation with Matt Drouillard, who is the lead designer/programmer of the upcoming JSF BodyShop web site. As Matt and I talked he took me on a remote desktop tour of the project. I think I must said "wow!" about a hundred times. My expectations were high, but what I saw yesterday went way beyond anything I'd imagined. The JSF BodyShop is going to be extremely powerful, yet fun and easy to use. Making a transformation is not easy, so we designed BodyShop from the ground up to give you a comprehensive set of tools that will help you succeed. Soon we'll be able to release a list of features and perhaps some screenshots and/or video.

I got a tremendous amount of work accomplished yesterday, but I'm taking today completely off. I think I'm going to make some popcorn and hole up in the theater with Lisa and Loki. I may emerge from the theater long enough to play a poker tournament this afternoon.

I've opened the October 2009 "100 Challenge" for entry a little earlier than usual. Details are immediately below...

Registration for the October 2009 "100 Challenge" is now underway! Your Official Challenge post must be made by 7:00 AM (EDT) on October 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 October 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!

September 12, 2009

I woke up at 6:00 AM sharp this morning, but it felt much earlier than that. I was surprised when I checked the clock and saw that it was time to get up. Loki was at the foot of the bed sawing logs. There was a time when I could depend on Loki as a very reliable back-up alarm, but he's an old boy now and likes to sleep in.

I feel like I strained my right lat or something. Thursday's back workout was pretty insane, but I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary while I was training. It's not a bad strain at all, it just feels a little uncomfortable. It shouldn't affect my ability to lift, but I don't want to make it worse. Hopefully by Monday it will feel better.

Work on the new JSF web site is continuing at a good pace. We're still at least a month or two from launch, but I'm very happy with how it's coming along. I think you guys are going to like the new site a lot. I can barely stand to look at the current site anymore!

Another major project that's coming along nicely is the all-new JSF BodyShop. Later today I have a phone call scheduled with the lead developer to check out some of the stuff that's been completed and talk about several other features that we're implementing. One area that we need help with is the exercise database. Please check out this post on the forums for more information. If you can help out, contact Matt Drouillard. Thanks!

It looks like my initial fat loss transformation is making the rounds again. It's on Break and College Humor, among other sites. The comments are, as always, completely awesome. lol Unfortunately whoever initially submitted my video didn't include a link to JSF. Hopefully those who watch it and are inspired to make a change will find their way here anyway.

Well, I've got a full day ahead so I'm going to sign out for now. Have a good day, and I'll see you tomorrow!

September 11, 2009

I guess yesterday's workout was even more taxing that I thought. Last night I felt extra tired when I went to bed at my usual time, and this morning I overslept by an entire hour! I very rarely sleep past 6:00 AM, so it was quite a shock when I woke up and saw the clock. Even more shocking was seeing Loki curled up next to me and snoring away a full hour past his usual breakfast time. I think someone drugged us last night...

Of course I'm running very late this morning, and this is a really bad day for me to start off an hour behind schedule. Loki and I are getting old, I think I may have to invest in an alarm clock or something...

Have a great day!

September 10, 2009

I'm fired up about today's workout (back and biceps)! The main focus of my workout will be my back, and I'll probably do just two exercises for biceps. I'm going to start off with low rep, very heavy deadlifts, then move on to weighted wide-grip pull-ups, bent-over barbell rows and finish up with seated low cable rows. For biceps I'm going to keep things simple: 3 sets of standing ez-curls followed by DB hammer curls. I'll probably go down the rack for the hammer curls, moving down 5 pounds at a time until I can no longer curl a 5-pound dumbbell. I love finishing off my workouts like that.

So I'm thinking that my next "formal" activity will be a cut. My body fat is around 13% right now, and while that's perfectly healthy I don't feel comfortable at that level. I'm still undecided on when I'm going to start my cut, but it will likely be within the next month or two. I know I lost a lot of size after my last bulk, but I can't bring myself to start a bulk at 13% body fat. After my cut I'll focus on adding lean mass.

Time for me to get to work. Train hard!

September 9, 2009

I had a horrible day yesterday, but a really good workout (chest and triceps). I was in the mood for a fast-paced, intense and high volume workout. I did 3 sets of DB bench presses supersetted with close-grip barbell bench press, 3 sets of weighted chest dips with just 30 seconds of rest, 2 triple drop sets of tricep bench dips and incline burnout DB flyes supersetted with rope pressdowns. Aside from the chest dips, rest was 1 minute between each set and 2 minutes between exercises. When I finished the workout I was a tired, sweaty mess but I felt awesome.

I'm still holding some water weight from my Sunday night cheat meal. It's amazing how much water weight affects my appearance. My face always looks so bloated after a cheat meal... I hate that!

I haven't been doing much cardio lately, but I think I'm going to get a 16-minute HIIT workout in this afternoon. I thought about doing a 45-minute LISS session this morning, but I think I'm more in the mood for something a bit more difficult than that.

Reminder: Mastover is still running his 15% off sale! Check out the details here.

September 8, 2009

I had a great time over the holiday weekend--maybe a little too much fun, actually. Yesterday I really felt like just relaxing and enjoying the day off, and that's what I did. I skipped my workout, ate a cheat meal for dinner and had a few drinks as well. I don't regret any of it one bit, either. I've been working very hard, both in and out of the gym, and it felt good to let my hair down for a couple of days. I feel well-rested and relaxed today.

If you or someone you know has completed an awesome transformation, please let me know about it! I'm always on the lookout for potential Transformation Spotlights. Just shoot me an email or a PM with the details.

Sigh. I have a heck of a lot of work to catch up on today. I'd better wrap this up and get started. Thanks for stopping by!

September 7, 2009

Yesterday's movie and cookout party was a blast, but I stayed up way too late. I woke up an hour late this morning, and I'm sitting here trying to type this in a fog. I'm sure am glad I have the day off from work!

Everyone was in the mood for movies yesterday, so we wound up watching three movies back-to-back: Leatherheads, Eastern Promises and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Loki was loving all the popcorn we tossed to him. In fact, I'm pretty sure he ate more popcorn than we did. The Feta cheese burgers I made for dinner came out great and were a big hit with everyone.

I may be off from work today, but I'm still going to train. It's leg day, and I'm going to do the same brutal workout that I did last week.

Lisa's parents spent the night, so I'm going to go make everyone breakfast now. Have a great day!

September 6, 2009

I accomplished a lot yesterday, but I also took some time out to watch a movie and play poker. I always seem to enjoy my down time more when I do something productive beforehand. This morning we're going to get the house cleaned up before everyone comes over, and then it's party time! Movies, popcorn, a few drinks and a cookout!

Wow, I can't think of a darn thing to write about this morning. I guess I'm going to go clean now. Have a great day!

September 5, 2009

It's hard not to be in a spectacular mood on a Saturday morning with a three-day weekend ahead! I going to relax and have fun, but I'm also going to work on some projects around the house and (of course!) the new JSF web site. Also, I'll be relaxing my diet tomorrow when we have family over: popcorn and movies, followed by a cookout.

For tomorrow's cookout I'm going to be making the incredible Feta cheese burgers I was talking about last month. Actually there have been a couple of additional refinements since last month. First, my mom suggested that I rub raw garlic on the warm toasted hamburger buns (just like you'd do if you were making Bruschetta) and that simple change took an already incredible burger to a whole new level. Also, I'm now using raw spinach instead of lettuce, which provides a much more interesting flavor.

So, the final "perfected" burger recipe is this: 8oz burgers made with 96% lean ground beef and grilled over medium heat. Serve on toasted whole grain buns rubbed with a raw garlic clove, fresh raw spinach, thinly sliced tomatoes, spicy brown mustard, raw red onions and Feta cheese. The raw red onions and Feta work incredibly well together. You won't believe how good this burger is - give it a try!

I'm always on the lookout for incredible transformations to feature in the Transformation Spotlight of the Month. If you or someone you know of has made a transformation (fat loss, muscle gain, overcome addiction, etc) please email or PM me and tell me about it!

OK, I'm out of here for the day. Have a wonderful Saturday!

September 4, 2009

I had another excellent workout (back and biceps) yesterday afternoon! I mentioned yesterday that I was going to finish up the workout with a "down the rack" set of burnout DB hammer curls, and that's exactly what I did. Last night my forearms kept cramping up, and this morning my biceps and forearms are already protesting. By tomorrow morning they will really be hurting. I seem to be on a pretty good roll with my training here lately, and I will keep the momentum going this afternoon with an awesome delts and traps workout.

I've been talking about the JSF site re-design quite a bit, but another major JSF project that is currently under development (by a programmer far more talented than I) has only had a couple of brief mentions. This project is very ambitious, and will represent the largest and most significant improvement to JSF ever. The project is called the JSF BodyShop, and it's going to be awesome. There is nothing out there like it (so if you think it's going to be a simple rehash of bodybuilding.com's Bodyspace, think again). In the very near future (possibly as soon as next week) I will release a partial feature list, and perhaps some early screenshots.

One more day of work, and then I get to enjoy 3 days off! We're going to have some family over for a day of grilling out, movies and popcorn, so that should be a lot of fun. I'm also going to set aside a good bit of time to continue working on the JSF web site, along with a couple other JSF-related projects.

Have a fantastic day. Train hard!

September 3, 2009

I can already tell that I'm going to have a great workout today. I woke up a few minutes before 6:00 AM feeling well-rested and not nearly as sore as I was yesterday morning. I am really in the mood to train, and train hard. Today is back and biceps day, and yesterday I was a little worried that my legs might be too sore to deadlift. My wheels are definitely still sore, but it's not so bad that I won't be able to pull this afternoon. I think I'm going to focus today's workout on very heavy weights and low (4-6 reps) for just about everything. OK, maybe a little higher rep bicep work... I think I'll finish up with some burnout down the rack DB hammer curls. I love walking out of the gym unable to lift my arms.

Speaking of being unable to lift my arms, do you guys ever have trouble making your post-workout shake? My hands are usually shaking pretty bad after my workouts, and I can't even begin to count the number of times I've dropped something or spilled something right after my workout. If I had videos of me making my PWO shakes over the years and edited the footage down to all the times I've made a mess, I think it would be pretty amusing.

I've been working on the new JSF web site in the evenings after my regular job and making good progress. One area that has been of particular concern is the Daily News Updates, which are obviously one of the central features of JSF. You'd think with a backend like Wordpress (which is designed for blogging) this would be a fairly simple design task, but it really has not been. There are so many daily updates (over six years worth!) that I wanted to make absolutely sure I'm satisfied with the format before I begin the monumental task of porting everything over. The truth is there is no way I can port everything over before the launch--that project is going to take months and months, perhaps even more than a year. The site will launch with an incomplete archive, but I will work as hard as I can to restore it as quickly as possible.

I need to get to work now. Thanks for stopping by!

September 2, 2009

I am so incredibly sore this morning. Getting out of bed was a long, painful affair. Loki, who at 15 years old is a rather elderly dog, was out of bed and waiting by the bedroom door before I even managed to get both feet on the floor. As I grimaced in pain he slowly cocked his head to one side and then, as if to show me up, he reared up in the air on his hind legs. I swear he was laughing at me.

Loki I had another really good workout yesterday, and am going to enjoy resting up a bit today (no training).

I'm eating my breakfast as I type this. I've been putting so much Cholula hot sauce on just about everything I eat that I think they may make me an honorary Mexican. I can not seem to get enough of this sauce! I have not taken Frank's hot sauce out in weeks.

I'm really surprised that this is the case, but I'm actually finding Twitter to be fairly entertaining and useful (you can cork it, Dave--at least I don't need to flavor my bulk BCAAs). I've been updating a few times per day with a mix of JSF news and personal stuff. Feel free to follow along.

September 1, 2009

It's been a very busy morning around here (work issues), and I'm running way behind. I've got a lot of ground to cover, so I'm going to jump right into it.

First off, I have to mention yesterday's leg workout. It was insane! I think the one-two punch of not having a good leg work out last week followed by feeling bloated, tired and miserable from Sunday night's pizza really lit a fire under me. I felt almost possessed as I tore through the workout. That was just what I needed!

JSF Sponsor Aram "Mastover" Hamparian is running an awesome 15% off sale all month long! Not only are all of his usual training packages 15% off, but he's also added a couple of special new packages to his web site. For those of you who have never worked with Aram, he is a Professional natural bodybuilder who has an extensive background of working with everyone from busy moms to professional bodybuilders. After my 2006 bulk, Aram's diet and training program took me from 19% body fat to a shredded 6% body fat:

January 1, 2007 236 Pounds 19% body fat	July 1, 2007 186.6 Pounds 6% body fat

If you are willing to put in the work, Aram will get you where you want to go. You can check out all the details on the sale here.

Last, but far from least, be sure to check out this month's Transformation Spotlight. Forum member "Flex" (Stephen) has done an amazing job of turning his life around. Don't miss it!

I've got to get back to work now. Thanks for stopping by - have a great day!

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