Saturday weigh in

Hey bro. Hope you're enjoying your free day. Good talking to you yesterday.

Went in for cardio this morning. I weighed 294 lbs. I lost 2 lbs this past week. I think I probably lost more in fat but my lean mass must be increasing too, as much as I'm working out and as much protein as I'm consuming. I say this because I can now take off my bluejeans w/o unbuttoning them.

If it weren't for customers, this job would be great!

Sounds like your customer reads from the same playbook that everybody that's ever bought from me goes by. Rule #1 on big deals is that every big deal dies 3 times before you close it. I think that I got my problems straighted out at VLO yesterday.

BFL news. Today was my first day completely back on the eating program. I ate sausage, eggs and wheat toast for breakfast, shake for snack, tuna for lunch, bar for snack and steak and veggies for dinner. I'll have another snack later. Feels good. I changed my routine a little bit today in the gym. I did the first 4 sets as usual, then went to a different lift for 12 reps, then a capsule contraction for 12 - 15 seconds. Nice burn. Frank hasn't been working out with my for the last 2 months. I miss having a partner in gym when I want to go heavy.

BTW

We can't get the customer for the apartment complex (the $360,000 job) to commit. We were promised an answer by today and they told us that they were having another engineer look over our proposals. Jeez.

Hey

Yeah, I would love to "get regular" again too.

I don't know how much I weigh right now. I want to only weigh myself once a week because I tend to get too scale-obsessed when I'm dieting. I would imagine that I'm at about 294 or something. I'll it the scale again on Saturday and let you know.

I'm impressed that you did four miles in Florida. I suspect that I would probably ruin my knees if I tried running as heavy as I am right now so I'll keep with the stationary bike and stairmaster until I lose another 30 lbs or so then give it a go. I'd like to be on a running routine again. I haven't jogged regularly since the first Bush administration!

Dad has a tendency to get on "kicks." And the most common fads that he has a tendency to get sucked into are diets. He's tried them all and, you're right, were it not for the chocolate and Scotch, he'd be a lot slimmer than he is. His teeth would be better too. But you're also right that he is incredibly vigorous for a man his age.

He came to the office today and I had some face time with him. I needed it. I bitched at him about some things and we cleared the air on some others. It was a good meeting and I feel better. Anyway, he was going into how wonderful WW is because of the mutual support of the group. I could tell he was wheeling the conversation around to recommend that I get into this when, to cut him off at the pass, I brought "Coopbros" up on my computer and showed him how you and I are accountable to each other. His comment: "man, that's great . . . just great."

Anyway, I did lower body and abs this morning. I did straight leg deadlifts instead of seated leg curls for hamstrings and I have a feeling I'll be feeling sore tomorrow, but overall it was a good workout.

The diet is still fine. The free days keep my binge impulses under control and I've been away from sweets long enough that I don't crave them any more. I only drink with you or dad so I'm not cheating that way either. I'm determined to keep pressing forward with this.

Checking in.

Yesterday was quite the long day. Up at 5:30 to the gym for cardio. Then on to Hobby to catch a flight to S.A. back home at 10:30. Because last weekend was spent at Sales kick-off, I feel like this has been a 12 day week. I slept in this morning and will get to the gym on the way home today for upper body. I need to get re-invigorated about dieting. The working out is not a problem.

Weight watchers huh? Sounds like Dad. "It just makes sense to me." He could lose quite a bit of weight if he would lay off of the bourbon and M&M's. That said, he's in good shape for a 61 year old man who shattered his leg a year ago.

What are you weighing right now. I haven't checked in a couple of days but it's between 235 and 240. While I was in Miami, I ate like I normally would before BFL and I will say that it was nice to get back on my normal pooping schedule.

Glad you're back

Hey. Like you I've taken to sleeping with an extra pillow, in my case for my shoulder. I lay on my left side and cradle the pillow, keeping my right upper arm somewhat elevated. Seems to be working too. My shoulder feels a bit better and last night I slept like a dead man.

Not much to report except that I'm having a headache with my PC at home. To upgrade to DSL I have to install a wireless router which looks to be about as complicated as performing brain surgery on myself.

As far as the workout goes, everything is going fine. Today was cardio. 20 minutes of stairmaster.

Oh, and Dad is on another one of his dieting kicks. This time it's Weight Watchers. He went to a few meetings and now he thinks they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'm not interested in that because (a) I like this program you and I are on, (b) I don't have the time for WW and (c) I don't have the money for WW. Why everytime he gets interested in something he thinks it's OUR obligation to be interested too, I'll never know.

I'm Back!!

Hey man.

I am busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. I'll blog longer later. My diet has gone to shit over the last 4 days. Basically, I was in a conference with limited access to food and fewer choices when I did get to eat. I still ran 4 mi. on Thursday, did upper body on Sat. and legs this morning. I feel good but need to get back on the diet. I'm excited to hear about your weight loss. Congratulations! On a different note, I have discovered that by placing a large pillow under my legs when I go to sleep at night, I dramatically reduce the amount of back pain that I normally have in the morning. Exciting times on the V deal. We have entered the asteroid field of negotiations. More later. OUT!

Beginning week 3 of BFL

Again, I look forward to free day a lot, but I MORE look forward to getting back on the wagon come Monday morning. Today was upper body and for chest, I went back to dumbells for bench press. My last set was 85 lbs, a set of 6. My shoulder hurt, albeit not as badly as last week.

I'm wondering where you are, dude. The sound of one Coopbro blogging is like the sound of one hand clapping.

Ugh

Either you were lying to me about how much you ate last weekend or you have a hollow leg. We just got back from Grant St. Pizza (It's on Nacogdoches St., I'll take you there next time you come down) where I had 4 slices of pepperoni, black olive and mushroom pizza. It's NY style and it was delicious but after 4 slices I feel like I'm going to puke. Maybe my stomach has shrunk or something because gawd I feel bad.

The inlaws are coming into town tonight so we'll go out to dinner with them. I love it when they come into town because they always pick up the check! Anyway, I'll try NOT to eat healthy.

Courtney and I are off to Academy to buy her a new pair of cleats and a ball. Her Spring soccer season starts in a few weeks. Tell everyone hi from us.

El dia gratis

Did you ever notice that the Spanish verb for "to eat" - comer - is just one letter different from their verb coger which means "to fuck?" That is definitely something for me to ponder on this free day. There is a big New York style pizza with my name on it somewhere!

End of the week

Hey dude. I went in for Saturday cardio this morning, 20 minutes on the stairmaster. Also, I'm sitting here eating a grapefruit (I'll bet you're enjoying a pop-tart being that today's your free day). Anyway, I weighed myself this morning and I am FINALLY below 300. I tipped the scales at 296 lbs, admittedly still portly but there's 17 lbs less of me than 3 weeks ago.

This is such a cool routine. What I like about it is that it's not really a "diet," per se. As long as I keep good eating and exercise habits there's no reason why I should gain the weight back.

I'm really starting to feel better. Not only physically but mentally too (i.e., feel better about myself). So thanks for turning me on to this, brother.

End of week 2

I went in this morning and did the 2nd lower body workout of the week. I felt good, all things considered. Except that there was this young cock-diesel hogging the leg press so I had to do that one last instead of first like I like to, but what the hell. It's not like I own Ballys or anything.

I'll weigh myself when I go in for Saturday cardio. I can tell differences in the mirror and in some in the ways that my clothes fit. However I'm still early in this program - 10 weeks to go - that I'm sure I'll look a lot better when we're done this April. For instance, I have been SO fat the last few years that whenever I put on my briefs, my "love handles" would automatically flip down the waistband. That doesn't happen anymore. And though I can't bomb my pecs like I want to because of my shoulder, I've still gone from a C-cup to a B-cup in my man-titties.

Alright asshole! Laugh all you want, but you gotta start somewhere!

Hope you're having fun in Florida.

Thursday, day 11

Went in and did my cardio this morning, 20 minutes on the stairmaster. I fely really depleted, if you know what I mean, so I only set the machine to resistance level 5. I got through it, though.

My legs are sore as hell because I pushed really hard on Monday. Tomorrow's the leg workout again.

I know that I said I wouldn't crave another free day again after the Burger King heartburn I had alst weekend but I can't help it. I think this Sunday I'll have a whole Sonic brown-bag special to myself. I'll even dring both Cokes. But before then I think I'll have potato chips for breakfast . . .

Actually though, my problem lately has been skipping meals because I don't seem to have much of an appetite and I thus forget to eat. I think this is probably why I felt so weak this morning. The diet's been okay today thus far today. I had sushi today (a "spring roll") for lunch and that was a mistake. I really like sushi too but this was just silly. Like a rolled up uncooked egg roll with nothing but rice noodles and a few boiled shrimp in it. Fucking thing couldn't fill up a bird.

Sorry this entry seems so jumbled but I have a situation here at work that has me a bit jumbled. I have a salesman who has all but tattooed "I don't give a shit" on his forehead doing shit like taking unauthorized days off and rescheduling his appointments and things like that. Usually I would just cut off his draw and his leads (which I've already done) but he's on the cusp of signing a $360K sale to fix a bunch of buildings at a local apartment complex. And believe me, bro, we need that sale. We need it like you wouldn't fucking believe.

Hump day

Rob, it sounds like you probably need to take a break. It may do you more harm than good if you deplete yourself of energy in the gym that you need to fight off this virus. Summer's a long time away and taking a little "sabbatical" right now won't hurt you too badly.

Miami huh? Sounds like fun. I remember during my last year at AS&G (2000) I went to Ft. Lauderdale to set up a new office. It was nice.

I did upper body this mornng. Well, I was all full of piss and vinegar to begin my "push for 400" campaign on the bench . . . until I actually got on the damn thing. My shoulder hurt like a bitch with only 135 lbs on the bar. I worked up to 225 before the pain became too severe. That's joint pain, not muscle. I had hoped to do a single of 275 for my last set, but it wasn't happening this morning. I think I'll start doing push-ups in the evening before bed to try to strengthen the joint some more. Everything else was fine, had a real intense session for biceps but shoulders were again problematic.

Enjoy Miami bro and, if you can, try to blog from there.

Grinding through

This is a tough week. So far, I haven't missed any workouts but I have skipped several meals. One of the admins in my office came to work with a sinus infection and now I'm trying to get sick. I have to go to Miami tomorrow morning for 3.5 days for our Company Kick-Off meeting. Companies like IBI will have these sorts of sessions to start the new fiscal year. Lot's of training, recognition, a state of the union address by our CEO. Sometimes they can be fun. Oracle had one in Vegas last June.

I slept in this morning to give my body the upper hand on the virus that I'm fighting. I'll go to the gym on my way home and do legs. Mayby tomorrow evening, I can get a run in on the beaches of Miami.

Lighten up, Francis

... and uh, I don't like nobody touching me. So, any of youse homos touch me . . . and I'll kill ya!

Here,,,wash this!!!

A man's cuffs should come to the end of his pee pee. Your's come down to your balls.

Excuse me, I just had a moment of silliness. I'll have to go back to being nice and military.

I'm weak in the knees

Hey bro. Good talking to you earlier.

Like I said, I did my leg workout yesterday in the early evening, just before dinner, since I spent the first 4 hours of the day driving back from Mark's house. Then, I popped up this morning and did my cardio, 20 minutes of stairmaster. It was a struggle too. Thus, I'm on some pretty wobbly legs right now.

My back's finally better and I'm sorry to hear yours hurts. I understand about losing focus after a certain point so, to keep myself motivated, I think I'll try training for strength. I've always wanted to pop up 8 wheels on the bench, and I've gotten close a couple of times, but I've never done it. So, my goal, which I hope to have done by this summer, is to bench 405 lbs. I'm going to be like one of those guys on the old SNL skit "What cher bench?"

The truth is, Rob, that if I'm not fucking around with heavy iron, I'll get bored with it. What I like about this workout is that Phillips insists that the workout must be intense to do any good. None of this "brisk walk to get your heart rate mildly elevated" horseshit. So . . . I'm going to make the barbell bench my primary pec workout and only use the dumbells for the super set starting tomorrow.

As for your diet, look bro, you said you liked this forum because of the accountability you have to me. You're not nearly as much of a fatass as I am and you don't have nearly as much to lose, but you could still take this seriously, if for my sake if not your own. You selfish bastard!

There, feel ashamed now?

My back's hurtin like a mutha fucker!

Hey dude,

Got up this morning at 5:15 with the urge to pee and searing pain in my back. Like I mentioned on the phone, I think the 6 days a week is what is beginning to take it's toll. I did my cardio this morning on the recumbant bike, which is much less stressful than running, just boring as hell. As for Emily's birthday, we stayed around the house. We thought that we were going to get away with not celebrating her b-day on Sunday as we have a party scheduled for a later date. However, as soon as she woke up, she wanted to know where her presents and cake were. So off to walmart I went. I had a turkey in the freezer and decided that I wanted to fry it up. Jim and Sara came over with their boys, so Jim and I went to get the stuff to fry the turkey and Emily's cake. Well FYI, it cost $50 worth of peanut oil to fry this free turkey.

Back to BFL, I think that I am hitting an emotional plateau. I still haven't missed any workouts, and I'm working out hard but the enthusiasm is lacking. Yesterday was my upper day and I did hit it pretty good. I'm sure that my attitude would improve if my back felt better. I'll probably start taking my anti-inflamitories again. I'm going to end this ramble and get back to work. PEACE!

Day 8

Hey bro. I went in to the gym after getting back in from Ft. Worth this afternoon. Today was lower body. I did 4 sets of incline leg press (doing 10 plates on my final set of 6), then one set of squats. I did 4 sets of seated hamstring curl, 4 sets of seated quad extensions and 4 sets of seated calf-raises. Lastly I did 4 sets of stomach crunches followed by a set of 20 crunches on the power ball holding a 15-lb. medicine ball on my chest.

Can't believe how bad I felt after eating all that crap for my Free Day feast yesterday. I probably won't look forward to this next one so much.

What aren't you blogging? If it involves your little birthday girl or your nascent deal with Valero, all is forgiven. If not, it's your ass.

Free day's end

Well dude, this is certainly not the big news of the day, not by a long shot, but I thought you should know that there's a Burger King outside of Temple that is now a smoking crater after I hit it. I wanted to have a sit-down at a place like you did at Wings & Things but after I got THE CALL from Mark, that wasn't going to be possible.

So, with visions of carbohydrates and cholesterol dancing in my head, I pulled into a BK today and got:

A whopper with cheese
A chicken sandwich (fried, not broiled)
A medium order of fries
A slice of Oreo ice cream cake
A medium Coke.

I ate it all so fast I barely tasted it. I thought doing this would give me that old sensuous, almost drugged sensation that I used to get from overeating on fast food. Instead, to be totally honest, it made me nauseous. I feel bloated and just thick, if you know what I mean. I can't wait to get back with the routine tomorrow.

By the way, if you didn't know, I'm blogging from Mark's house. Damn! has our little brother got a nice crib, or what?

Now, as to the events of the day. First of all, big kisses and a bear hug to my favorite niece Miss Emily Rebekah from her Uncle James. I hope that she had a happy and special 4th and please tell her that I gave her present to Mom to deliver to you.

Now, as to our newest niece, as you know little Miss Lillian Addison Cooper came into the world today shortly after noon. I have a bunch of thoughts about and I've already composed them (in the form of a letter to Mark) and posted them to my other blog. If you want to read it, just mosey over to www.jamesgang.blogspot.com. This is my journal and you're of course welcome to read it, if you want. In fact, I even have an entry solely about you, posted back just before Christmas. All I ask is that you don't share the link with anyone.

I'll leave here tomorrow at around 11:00 am and head back to S.A. I don't think there's a Bally's nearby and even if there was, I didn't bring my workout clothes. Thus, tomorrow will have to be an afternoon lower body workout.

Free day at last, free day at last! Thank the Lawd it's free day at last!

Damn bro! Major props to you for the damage you did to your physique yesterday. A dozen wings, a rack of babybacks and a pitcher of beer? It'll be hard to top that. I went to eat with Erica and Megan yesterday at EZ's. Megan had cheese fries dipped in ranch. I had a dry chicken breast, sauteed veggies and a piece of focaccia bread. Then we went to Baskin Robbins where I had to balefully watch as they each had a malt.

I think I'll just go into a Taco Bell and, like Mr. Caruso, just tell them "I'll have the lot." Nothing's passing my lips today that isn't high in saturated fat, sodium and carbohydrates!

Gluttony is a virtue

In the name of great health, today I went to Wings N More and ate

Fried Cheese sticks
Half rack of babyback ribs
Dozen hot chicken wings
Fries
Coleslaw
Texas toast dripping with butter
A pitcher of draft beer.


Yeah baby!!

Final saturday thoughts

I did my last blog entry before I read your latest posts. Mmm, pop-tarts. What flavor?

Tomorrow will be my free day. Today's breakfast was a grapefruit and low fat cottage cheese (I went and bought some after my workout this morning). Tomorrow, I think I'll have CAKE for breakfast, then I'll go to to Taco Bell and mow down about 6 soft tacos. Then, maybe Chinese food for dinner, the real shitty kind like you get at mall kiosks that has sugar in all the sauces. Oh, it's gonna be ugly.

Mom told Erica about Mikey's new place and Erica told me. This is the way I usually get family info. I don't talk to Mom much on the phone not because I don't like to talk to mom but because I just don't like to talk on the phone. Anyway, yes, I heard he's got himself a little shag pad over near the Galleria.

Had a big fight with dad yesterday. I swear to God, I am so fucking sick of that man. You know, for as much as he likes to talk about leadership, he is just about the worst leader I have ever worked for. Dad has no idea how to inspire people, it's all just intimidation with him.

Anyway, time for second breakfast now ( a bowl of oatmeal). Enjoy your free day and have a good run at Memorial Park tomorrow.

Day 6

Well dude, it's the end of the week. I went in for some cardio at 8:00 (the Bally's doesn't open early on weekends) and weighed myself. I'm now at 302. That's a lot of course, but it's also 11-lbs lighter than I was 2 weeks ago. Pretty soon (within the next 2 to 3 weeks) I'll reach a stasis and maybe even gain a little as muscle mass outpaces fat loss. That's when I usually get discouraged so this time I commit to keep with it until I start losing weight again.

Hope y'all have a good weekend.

I didn't exactly sprint to the end of the week either.

While my performance at the gym yesterday wasn't completely half assed, I'd give it one and a half cheeks.

Leg press - 5
Squat - 1
Leg curl - 5
(skipped dead lift)
Seated toe raises - 5
Crunch machine - 4 sets X 40 reps 40,50,60 lbs
Inverted sit ups. 3 sets X 15
Stretching. 5 Min.

ON a scale of 1 -10, I'd give the intensity about a 6.5. These days are to be expected. At least we didn't blow them off. Have a great free day!

It's Free day !!!!!!

Good morning. I am sitting here typing this eating a poptart, with visions of all the wonderful things that I am going to eat today. Yesterday was one very long day. Woke up at 4:00 AM to pee with my back hurting like a mother, and couldn't go back to sleep. Got out of bed at 10 to 5 and dressed and went to gym for leg day. Back home, shower, dress and off to hobby for a flight to your town for a meeting w/ VLO. Good day. Moving forward on the deal. We started the negotiation. This is where it gets fun! Didn't get home until close to 9:00. This explains why I didn't blog yesterday. This forum has become a form of accountability for me, which is great. I don't want to have to report to you that I have fallen off of the wagon. Body feels good today. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's run in Memorial Park. BTW, did Mike tell you about his apartment?

Limping to the Finish Line

Dude, felt really sluggish in the gym this morning. My shoulder hurt like hell too.

4 sets Hammerstrength bench
1 set Hammerstrength incline bench
5 sets of dumbell curls
4 sets hammerstrength rows

Didn't do any shoulder work because it hurts too bad to mess with it. Plus, my energy level was really low. Shitty workout.

Bodybuilders' Ambrosia

Muscle Milk is a protein shake that Mikey turned me onto about 2 years ago. It's made by a company called CytoSport and is sold at GNC but I usually buy it at HEB. It comes powdered in these great big 2 1/2-lb plastic cans. Each can costs about $25.00 and will last about 2 weeks.

You can mix it with water or skim milk; I use water. Each shake has 12g of carbs and 32g of protein.

I remember buying some low fat shake powder at Bally's and the drink, once mixed, smelled vaguely like strawberry flavored rotten meat. Others taste gritty or chemically. Muscle Milk is the best I've found so far. I recommend it.

What is "Muscle Milk"? How many grams of protein and carbs? I'm not taking any supplements right now. I might later.

You asked about shakes. I'm about halfway thru a can of Muscle Milk, Rootbeer Float flavor. It's not my favorite flavor but it's not too bad. I usually do about 2 a day, one between lunch and dinner and the other at night before bed.

I used to eat protein bars a few years ago. They were by a company owned by JVHS alum Lee Labrada and were expensive as hell. They also tasted like the sole of my boot (albeit coated with yogurt). I'll stick with the shakes 'til I'm sick of them.

Are you taking any vitamins or supplements?

Yeah, I know I'm protein-deficient in the morning. I was thinking about buying a mini-fridge and keeping it stocked with cottage cheese and tuna. The CC will be my morning protein.

Getting up and being able to cook and still be in the gym at 5:30 is out of the question for me. Thus, no omelettes. That's okay, though, I don't really like eggs that much anyway and, lemme tellya, the farts they give me are so rank they could melt steel!

Today for lunch I had 2 chicken fajita tacos at a local restaurant. The meat is pan-fried in butter or margarine and it has some sauteed onions and bell peppers. I had both on corn tortillas. I ate one whole and just plucked the meat out of the other. I think Phillips said you could have one piece of bread or a tortilla as your carbo intake during a meal, but no more than one. I know, I know. My diet needs work. But I am portioning well and have absolutely cut all sweets out of my diet.

My back's still a little sore but I should be okay for the upper body workout tomorrow. I think I'll find another way to work the shoulders than the seated press. Don't want to push my luck too hard.

BTW, lol about sending your dog scurrying from a butt bomb.

James...Jamesy....Jimbo...Jimmy,Jimmy,Jammy....Jiiiiimm.

For some reason, I can't get as motivated to get up early to do cardio as I do to lift. I end up doing it in the afternoon on my way home.

One unfortunate side effect of all this protein that I am consuming is the incredible amount of farting that is occuring. I ripped one yesterday that sent Snoop hiding under the couch.

I have to restrict myself to the stationary bike today. All this running is taking a toll on my back. I want to save myself for Sunday an Memorial Park.

Rebekah bought me some Atkin's cereal at the store yesterday. It's made almost entirely out of soy and is not quite a shitty as it sounds. I ate a big bowl of colon blow (Bran) this morning. I'm getting a little burned out on eggs. I am also taking a break from tuna before I get burned out on that too. What are some of the things that you are eating? It sounds like you need a litte more protein in the AM. I don't know about you, but I can only do about one shake per day.

Rob, today was cardio. 20 minutes on the stationary bike set to "hill profile" on level 13.

I'm beginning to feel differences in my body now. They're subtle but they're definitely there. I don't feel quite so thick around the middle as I did a few weeks ago. What I had worried about though, what I thought was going to be the biggest problem, was getting used to the 5:30am routine. Thus far though, that hasn't been a problem. I pop right out of bed, grab my bag and go. And I love the way this makes me feel through the day.

I can't believe I waited so long to get on this program.

Per Mark, they've reset the induction for next Tuesday. He's hopeful though that Nature will takes its own course before then. If the baby arrives after the weekend, Dad and Susan will miss it. They're going skiing this Sunday. And yes, you told me about "Snoop." Is he/she a pug like Daisy?

My back feels a lot better and the muscle soreness is going away too.

Day 9 - Upper body

Chest - Hammerstrength Incline - 5 sets
Decline press - 1 set
Back - HStr. Lat pull - 5 sets
Cable lat pull - 1 set
Shoulders - Hstr. shoulder press - 5 sets
Dumbell flies - 1 set
Biceps - Curl Machine - 5
Dumbell curls - 1
Tricep - Tricep ext. machine - 5
Cable ext. - 1 set
Traps - Barbell shoulder shrugs - 3 sets.

To answer your question, I don't carry a clipboard. This routine has been my model for over 4 years, so I pretty much know what and how much to do.

Yesterday I did 5 min. of eliptical and a 2 mile interval run on the treadmill followed by 10 min of stretching. My weight is between 235lbs and 240lbs. I have actually added weight over the last 10 days. I'm told that this is normal due to the increase in protein that I am taking in.

When is that baby gonna get here? Did I tell you about my dog?

Rob, are you taking a notebook or clipboard and recording sets, reps and weights in the gym? I'm not but probably will since I can't always remember reps and weights, etc. Also, what is your current weight?

Hey Rob. Day 3 for me. My back still hurts but it's less so than the past few days. I did my lower body workout this morning. Here's what I did:

Quad extensions: 5 sets
Hamstring curls: 5 sets
Seated calf raises: 5 sets
Leg presses: 4 sets
Power crunch: 4 sets

No, I haven't joined the contest yet. I'll log onto the website today. I was originally planning on being in Dallas today to welcome our newest niece into the world so I made no appointments for myself today. The point is, I'll have time for that today.

You're way ahead of me on the diet. I'm thinking about buying a small refrigerator for my office and keeping it stocked with things like tuna and cottage cheese.

Speaking of which, I gotta go and get 2nd breakfast now.

James

Have you joined the contest? The number is 1-800-297-9776.

Rob, I spoke with Mark earlier and he confirmed that they will not be inducing labor tomorrow. They've reset it for next Tuesday and are hopeful that nature will take its course before then.

J,

Day 8. (I've decided that free days don't count) I'm starting to settle into a groove. Didn't get to the gym this morning for cardio. No biggie. I'll get it done on the way home.

As we speak I am having a lunch of tuna w/ hot salsa and an apple. BTW, I went to the dollar store and bought these vaccum sealed individual servings of Starkist tuna for 50 cents each. Each one has 21 grams of protein, 0 carbs and 1 gram of fat. Tuna is our friend. I'm fortunate to have a kitchen at my office. I have turned my file drawer into a pantry.

About your soreness, this is an intense routine, so listen to your body. When I start this program, I usually only do 12, 10, 8, 12 with about 75% of what I usually do.

G2G,
RC

To answer your question, yes I'm doing the 6 meals. In fact, the HEB in Alamo Heights has boxed lunches that are BFL-compatible. Yesterday, I had a grapefruit for first breakfast, some oatmeal for second breakfast, a protein shake, the box lunch I told you about, dinner at home (cheese tortellini, green beans and salad) and a last protein shake before bedtime.

I feel like a hobbit with all this eating.

Jeez-us, but I am hurting today! Believe it or not, I ended up seeing a chiropractor yesterday because of the pain between my shoulder blades. My first time to see one of those. He treated me with an adjustment, a bit of massage and some electro-stim. I felt a hell of a lot better when I left but my back tightened up again about an hour later.

Everything, especially my back, was incredibly sore when I got out of bed this morning. Nevertheless, I dragged my ass to Bally's and did 20 minutes on the stationary bike.

Tomorrow's the lower body workout. I will not be doing squats or dead-lifts until my back recovers a bit more. I'll do leg presses, quad extensions, hamstring curls, calf raises and some power crunches for the abs.

On a different subject, Mark told me that he and Natalie may not induce labor after all tomorrow. Apparently, Natalie wants to have this baby as au natural as possible.

Hey James,

Kudos to you bro. It only get's easier from here. Like I told you, the first time I did the BFL upper body workout, I couldn't raise my arms to wash my hair in the shower afterwards. I'm on day 7 (or day 8 if you count the free day) Today was my lower body / abs day. Since my core, or trunk is my main priority due to my back condition, I started with abs.

Ab Machine 3 x 40 50lbs
Reverse incline sit ups 3 x 20
Side bends 3 x 25 starting with a 25lb plate, then 35, 45.
Leg extensions. 12,10,8,6,12
Squat 1 x 12
Leg curls 12,10,8,6,12
Straight leg dead lift 1 x 12
Toe raises 12,10 etc..
Stretching 10 min.

Are you eating 6 meals / day? I've had a protein bar, eggs and grits, 2 deviled eggs, shrimp and crawfish creole w/ brown rice, myoplex shake. 2 more meals to go.

Damn, maybe I pushed it too hard today. It's 3:15 as I type this and I can't even sit up straight, my back hurts so much. I might try to go and get a massage later.

Robbie, like I said, I did the first workout of the BFL plan today and I feel like I've been put thru a meat grinder. Here's what I did this morning:

Dumbell bench press: 40#x15, 50#x12, 60#x10, 70#x8
Dumbell flys: 40#x8
Dumbell curls: 20#x15, 25#10, 30#x8
Seated dumbell press: 25#x15, 30#x10, 40#x6
Hammerstrength iso-lateral D-Y row: 90#x20, 140#x12, 180#x8
Ab crunches: 12#x15

The crunches are done on a power ball, holding a 12-lb. medicine ball on my chest.

My back and shoulder hurt and I can tell that my chest and arms will scream tomorrow. But I fell totally spent, which I suppose is the idea.

Oh, and my weight was 306 lbs. this morning. That's a loss of 7 lbs. over the last week. Now, I just have to take that fucking "before" photo.