Darth Pooh, Sith Lord of the Honey Pot

Workout for Yesterday: Upper (Chest/Press Emphasis)

-Bench Press - 5 x 5 @ 155 lbs.
-Incline DB - 3 x 8 @ 40 lbs.
-Pullups - 3 x 6 w/ 25 lb db.
-DB Flyes - 2 x 20 @ 35 lbs.
-Hammer Curls - 2 x 8 @ 25 lbs.
-DB Curls - 1 x 8 @ 25 lbs; 1 x 8 @ 20 lbs.
-Tricep Arm Extension Machine - 2 x 10 @ 90.
-Tricep Pulldowns (cable) - 2 x 8 @ 50 lbs.

I hopped on the scale (mid-week is a no-no usually but I was just interested in what it looks like) and it seems that I may be down from Sunday. It's probably a glycogen/water issue going on, but there doesn't seem to be gains either. I wonder if I have to go up or if I should wait out the two week period of 2200 calories. I was going to do some light cardio today too... maybe 20 minutes or so on the elliptical after my Lower (DL Emphasis workout). Guess I should probably eat about 2400-2500 calories today just to make sure I cover those 20 minutes on the cardio.
 
No, don't go up.

It's not uncommon to see the scale fall when you jump into a deficit. Freaky stuff tends to happen the first week or two.
 
Steve said:
No, don't go up.

It's not uncommon to see the scale fall when you jump into a deficit. Freaky stuff tends to happen the first week or two.
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If I do cardio, it is still safe to do the 2400 though? Or at least per our previous conversations it would be a safe bet to do...
 
Do what ever you've been doing. Pick an intake and stick with it. If things don't change, tweak.

Yes, you can bump caloric intake up a bit on cardio days.
 
Steve said:
Do what ever you've been doing. Pick an intake and stick with it. If things don't change, tweak.

Yes, you can bump caloric intake up a bit on cardio days.
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Good. I might go to Outback tonight :)

Up around your woods... you going to be home this weekend? I might go to the for breakfast tomorrow morning... have you ever been there?
 
I'm actually going up to NYC. I'm not sure when I'm leaving... right now leaning toward early tomorrow morning but maybe tonight. On the way back I'm going to Gordy's to work. This weekend is busy.

But hell yea I've been there! Awesome food! To be honest, that's where all the kids would go when we skipped school.
 
Steve said:
I'm actually going up to NYC. I'm not sure when I'm leaving... right now leaning toward early tomorrow morning but maybe tonight. On the way back I'm going to Gordy's to work. This weekend is busy.

But hell yea I've been there! Awesome food! To be honest, that's where all the kids would go when we skipped school.
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Damn it man... I was hoping to take you and Krista out tonight or tomorrow. I know it's short notice but I just found out that this weekend was solid in terms of me going out to Lancaster.

Yeah, I love eating there because it's a ton of fresh food... quality shit. Like I know what's in my omelette's and what's in my bacon.
 
Darth Pooh said:
Damn it man... I was hoping to take you and Krista out tonight or tomorrow. I know it's short notice but I just found out that this weekend was solid in terms of me going out to Lancaster.
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That sucks, I would have loved hit up some grub with you. Krista is busy too tonight....

Next time, my friend.

Yeah, I love eating there because it's a ton of fresh food... quality shit. Like I know what's in my omelette's and what's in my bacon.
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Don't have to sell me on their stuff... you're making me hungry!
 
Steve said:
That sucks, I would have loved hit up some grub with you. Krista is busy too tonight....

Next time, my friend.



Don't have to sell me on their stuff... you're making me hungry!
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Another time for SURE.

In the OLDEN days of Keith, I used to eat a shit ton of their VEAL PARM they used to make on the grill. God damn were those little things tasty... now, I keep it to Breakfast... and I'll most likely take down about 1000 calories for breakfast tomorrow morning... easily.
 
Steve... weird question, but why does the body do wonky things the first week (like lose weight) instead of gaining? I like the idea of two week intervals because it gives me a chance to get a much better idea (I'd actually prefer 4 weeks... but that might be a bit extreme considering I could be in a deficit for too long). But why does the body respond in odd ways? Is there a glycogen issue?
 
Ha, that's the million dollar question. The bes I've seen it answered is by of course Lyle... here's his commentary:

Ok, finally stickying this stupid post with some very minor modifications.

It's something I've mentioned over the years, an assertion that my exercise physiology professor had made wrt: fat loss.

Note that under normal conditions, fat cells contain ~90% triglycerides and ~10% other stuff where other stuff includes some water, the cellular machinery that makes all the stuff that fat cells make and a couple of other things that I'm forgetting right now. Basically, fat cells do not normally contain much water.

He told us that, after triglycerides were removed from the cell, that the fat cells refilled with water in the short-term, eventually the body dropped that water and the fat loss 'became evident' (a goofy way for me to try to describe when the fat loss actually shows up on calipers, one of those dumb Tanita scales, or visually).

If nothing else, this gives a plausible mechanism for the non-linear fat loss that is so often seen. Folks will do everything right for weeks with no results. then overnight, something happens and the scale drops a bunch. Many diet newsgroups and forums refer to this as a 'whoosh' which often follows a stall.

A couple of empirical data points in support of this: people who use tanita scales have often reported that it will tell them that their BF has gone up right before a 'whoosh' occurs and a big drop. This suggests something goofy is going on with water balance.

Another is that fat often gets squishy (suggesting a change in what's in there) prior to a drop in skinfolds/ improvement in appearance.

I looked for research on the topic for a decade to no success. I made up my own plausible mechanism having to do with glycerol levels in the fat cell (glycerol is hydrophilic); if fatty acids were being lost at a greater proportion than glycerol, this mght explain how water is attracted into the fat cell. Except that, usually, glycerol and fatty acid are released in about the proportion you'd expect (3:1 FFA:glycerol).

edit: For what very little it's worth, Colgan mentions something similar in OPtimum Sports Nutrition, something about the body 'tracking' glycerol to keep track of fat stores. It's possible that the research on this is just pre-medline. Or he and my teacher just pulled it out of the old ass.

A couple of years back, a paper came out showing an increase in water content of visceral fat with dieting. First semi-direct data I've seen. I don't recall the mechanism being mentioned but I may not have ever read the full paper.

I keep meaning to look into what happens to water balance hormones with dieting, but my laziness is just truly profound.

Edit: Of course, if I suppose if I ever got off my ass and figured out what was causing it, I could try to figure out how to fix it. But, see: profound laziness.... It's probably just a matter of drinking a shitton of water so that your body will quit being weird and holding onto what's in the system.

As a weird addendum: many folks have noticed that a refeed can often trigger a 'whoosh'. Is this somehow affecting water balance (this would make sense given the relationships of carbs and water, carbs tend to pull water into the muscle cells)? Is it that the increase in leptin that accompanies refeeds does something nifty? I have no answers but it's something some have noticed/mentioned, including myself. You'll have someone who dieted hard for a week or two and nothing appears to be happening. Then they'll go 'fuck it' and have a big cheat/meal or short refeed. And wake up 4 lbs lighter with a visual difference.
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Steve said:
Ha, that's the million dollar question. The bes I've seen it answered is by of course Lyle... here's his commentary:
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AWESOME read... I love that guy. Thanks...

I like it... the "Woosh". I should have probably gotten back to maintenance before I started all of this shit. However, I don't mind the whole challenge of trying to figure out my body either... just another x,y, and z in the equation.

So, if Fiber is hydrophilic is that why people who start eating it (or at least ample amounts of it) start losing water weight quickly? Water is pulled into the small intestine?
 
And of course another question for you today...

Split squats... do you suggest dumbbell or barbell?

For those interested:
Dumbbell Single Leg Split Squat
Barbell Split Squat

I know you think I should also avoid the Smith Machine at all costs, so I will stick to Barbell Front Squats. I am worried about my form on those since I've never done one before... as well as the deadlift. I have been watching those videos all day to make sure I have it down. I wonder what my start weight for both of these exercises are going to be (sorry, thinking out loud there).
 
Darth Pooh said:
So, if Fiber is hydrophilic is that why people who start eating it (or at least ample amounts of it) start losing water weight quickly? Water is pulled into the small intestine?
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Possibly but I don't think there's enough data to pinpoint any of this.
 
Darth Pooh said:
And of course another question for you today...

Split squats... do you suggest dumbbell or barbell?

For those interested:
Dumbbell Single Leg Split Squat
Barbell Split Squat
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I love working with barbells. But that's my personal preference for multiple reasons. I have and still do use both with unilateral work such as split squats and the like. Toy with both and go with what feels right to you.

I know you think I should also avoid the Smith Machine at all costs, so I will stick to Barbell Front Squats. I am worried about my form on those since I've never done one before... as well as the deadlift. I have been watching those videos all day to make sure I have it down. I wonder what my start weight for both of these exercises are going to be (sorry, thinking out loud there).
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Personally, for me, front squats are the most difficult exercise. I still run into problems with them personally. If you have too much trouble with them, go to leg presses with a low foot position instead.

With deads, I'd start with 45s on each side unless you have bumper plates at your gym. If 135 feels entirely too heavy, then let me know and we'll find a work around.
 
Steve said:
I love working with barbells. But that's my personal preference for multiple reasons. I have and still do use both with unilateral work such as split squats and the like. Toy with both and go with what feels right to you.



Personally, for me, front squats are the most difficult exercise. I still run into problems with them personally. If you have too much trouble with them, go to leg presses with a low foot position instead.

With deads, I'd start with 45s on each side unless you have bumper plates at your gym. If 135 feels entirely too heavy, then let me know and we'll find a work around.
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I think this week I'll try split squat with the barbell. If it don't like it (sometimes the weight bothers the back of my neck and I am sore for a few days afterwards, I should buy a guard) than I'll go to dumbbells.

As far as front squats, I'll give it a shot... I am sure I will trip it up a bit, but I should probably put 35 lbs on each side for that to begin.

We do have bumper plates at my gym...
 
Darth Pooh said:
I think this week I'll try split squat with the barbell. If it don't like it (sometimes the weight bothers the back of my neck and I am sore for a few days afterwards, I should buy a guard) than I'll go to dumbbells.
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The bar shouldn't be sitting on your neck. It should be sitting on the shelf created by your traps and posterior deltoids when you tighten your back and shoulder blades.

As far as front squats, I'll give it a shot... I am sure I will trip it up a bit, but I should probably put 35 lbs on each side for that to begin.
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I'd go even lighter... 25s maybe. Test the water but there should be absolutely no struggle at all during any of the reps. Not until you are comfortable with the movement.

We do have bumper plates at my gym...
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Really? That's surprising. Lucky you!
 
Steve said:
The bar shouldn't be sitting on your neck. It should be sitting on the shelf created by your traps and posterior deltoids when you tighten your back and shoulder blades.



I'd go even lighter... 25s maybe. Test the water but there should be absolutely no struggle at all during any of the reps. Not until you are comfortable with the movement.



Really? That's surprising. Lucky you!
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That's a rare thing? We have bumper everything really... Bumper plates and dumbbells. I think they were sick of the guys dropping all of the weights all over the place...

I do keep my barbell on my shelf there btw, I meant to say the center of that is sore... didn't really know what to call it to be honest :) I think it's because I don't have large traps.
 
Most gyms don't have bumper plates unless they have a olympic lifting core of members.

It sucks.

Bumper plates are phenomenal in the training setting namely for things like deadlifts and such. With the deadlift, a full sized plate is best as it gives you the right height from the floor to start the lift. Problem is, most women and children (and some guys) can't deadlift 135 lbs from the floor immediately. You can get bumper plates as low as 5 lbs (maybe lower) that are the same size as regular 45s.

But gyms don't care about that sort of stuff and it's rare to find a trainer teaching something such as the deadlift nowadays anyhow.
 
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