Diet Week 4

I’m on a diet for the first time in my life. This is my post #4 of my record of the journey to reclaim my dream of a truly in shape physique.  I highly recommend you start read the first, second and third posts if you want to dig into why I’m doing this even though my strength sport of choice is powerlifting not bodybuilding or physique.

Getting Back On Track

As I mentioned in my third post, I got derailed a little on my weekend trip up to Maryland.  I came back weighing 200lbs which was up by one pound.  Now I wasn’t too excited because I know that bodyweight fluctuates and it’s affected by water and sodium intake.  My water was off so I knew I’d get it back down soon enough once I got back on the wagon.  I got back on the straight and narrow, sticking closely to my plan and keeping water at 1.5 gallons each and every day.  The water issue is easier to keep on track if I use a gallon jug.  I’ve tried just keeping track of how many times I empty my 25 oz. shaker bottle but I’ve found that without that gallon jug staring me in the face; reminding me that I’ve got to drink more to empty it, I will simply forget to drink water.  Thirst is NOT an effective reminder.

By Thursday, my bodyweight was back down and I did a weight check revealing that in addition to having ashy toes I was 197lbs.  Good to know.  My physique doesn’t look that different to me but I didn’t feel bloated which was great!  It’s also under the weight class limit for 198lbs which means I just need to hover where I am for the next few weeks until I weigh in on July 16.  That’s a good feeling but it would be worthless if my strength doesn’t remain high.

The Week In Training

This week of training was encouraging.  I had to compress training because Sunday, my normal bench day during this training cycle, I was on the road.  I couldn’t make up training Monday because I was again, on the road. This time it was a four hour drive up to Tennessee and back.  So I decided to squat as normal on Tuesday night and follow it up with bench.  After all, that’s essentially what I’ll be doing in the meet anyway.  Squats went well, I worked up to 182.5kg/402lbs for a single.  That’s not bad considering I’d done a 501lb beltless deadlift only three days prior and then followed that with fourteen cumulative hours on the highway.

I followed that up with one set of pause squats at 145kg/319lbs then moved to the bench. I worked up to a top set of 137.5kg/303.1lbs after warming up.  Again, not bad.

I did mobility the rest of the week until Thursday when I did arms for accessory work which was a mistake.  It was good because I was able to practice my form on lying triceps extensions after my friend, NPC champion bodybuilder and powerlifting champion, Monique Hayes tweaked it.  I was still sore days later but had none of the elbow pain I usually have.  No elbow pain was great but being sore meant that my triceps failed when I attempted 147.5kg/325lbs at our bench session on Sunday, June 26.   My coach said he thinks I’ll be able to get that for an easy second attempt once I’m rested so I’m not too upset although I wish I’d gotten it.

But the coolest thing was I was able to muster up a one handed deadlift PR on Friday.  Using a hook grip, I pulled 225lbs for three reps.  And that felt great!

Next week I’ll take measurements again.

Height: 5’9      Age 42

Goal: Physique recomposition.
Weight:
Goal: 190-195lbs    Starting Weight: 202lbs  Current Weight: 197.6lbs
Waist
Goal: 31 inch         Current Measurement: 38 inches Starting Measurement:  39 inches
Chest: relaxed
Goal: 44 inches  Current Measurement:                      Starting Measurement: 43
Arms:
Goal: 17.5 inches flexed/16 relaxed Starting Measurement: 17.5 inches flexed/16 relaxed  unchanged

John Greaves III is a freelance writer in North Georgia. He is the founder of Garage Gym Life and a graduate of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. John’s diverse athletic and writing background allows him to write about a variety of topics from sports to business. You can find out more about him including how to have him guest post on your blog, write for your magazine or ghostwrite a piece for you by clicking here.

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