the journal of narb

2) cardio - should i do any at all?

If running isent a huge part of your life like soccer or sports dont do it....just walk allot and after workouts for 15-20 mins. If your really skinny and one of the fast metabolism people dont bother hey...it reckon it would do more damige then it would good.
 
Only gained a pound in the last 2 weeks.. disappointing as i really thought i was going for it as well.. still, i was happy to the see the ratio between lean and fat move considerably, which i was happy about;

according to maximuscle.com:


18 January 08
Body Weight In Pounds 142.40
Waist Circumference in INCHES (at navel) 32.2
Lean Mass: 119
Fat Mass: 24
Body Fat: 16.5


01 February 08
Body Weight In Pounds 143.40
Waist Circumference in INCHES (at navel) 32
Lean Mass: 121
Fat Mass: 23
Body Fat: 15.8


Thats the lowest i've ever seen my body fat percentage...

so while im disappointed with my gains, im happy that the ratios have changed for the better... i also noticed small increases in muscle size when i measured up this week so at least things are going in the right direction -just slowly!

Hopefully by next week i'd have gained abit more..
 
well im certaintly learning a few things on this 'bulk'..
in my last post i was saying how in 2 weeks i'd only gained a pound, this week i've gained 5!!

i cant believe it... unfortunaltley i feel that most of thats probably fat.. but i know that gaining fat is all part of it during a bulk so im not gna cry about it..

truth be told my workouts weren't great this week.. my wrists were playing up all week which resulted in me having to exclude certain exercises that i rely on.. i also missed out my entire forearm/wrists session.. but thats life i spose.. its not gna be a perfect week in terms of having the enthusiasm and health and mental state each and every week so i've just gotta stay focused enough to keep at it and do what i can, when i can, to the best of my ability...

stats this week (according to maximuscle.com):

08 February 08
Body Weight In Pounds 148.30
Waist Circumference in INCHES (at navel) 32.6
Lean Mass: 124
Fat Mass: 25
Body Fat: 16.7

hopefully with my wrists back to normal next week i'l be able to go mad at those weights and get that fat mass reading down a bit and the lean mass up a bit... but like i say, i've got the cut still to come in the summer so im not gna let it bother me for now!!
 
How are things in life Narb, you havent posted in while, hope all is good with you.

I read all journals. Just checking in with you. Hope all is good.



Best wishes to you in life and within fitness,


Chillen
 
Hi Chillien.. things are going ok..

i've gained around half a stone so far.. my lifts are getting heavier and i'm recording small increases in muscle size...

i say 'recording small increases' as i dont look in the mirror and see a massive change since before i started, but slowly but surely i am gettin bigger...

i've been using maximuscle.com to give a rough idea of my BF% and a rough calculation on the ratio between fat and lean... i'm definately seeing progress from this which is certainly a booster for me...

i'm enjoying this bulk, but i guess im slowly gettin impatient and having to try very hard to stay focused.. being a newb means i'm still wanting results fast! but i know it takes time, and i always put my all into it...

thanks for the message, i'll update again soon..


ps. for the sake of the journal; i've given myself roughly untill the last week in May before i start my cut so i look a bit more presentable for the summer and my holiday... i HOPE by then i'd have made enough progress for a 'cut' to be worth while...
 
gains appear to be slowing.. i need to measure up this coming friday to confirm, but weight wise i'm slowing...

gona really try to chuck down the grub this week.. i havn't been slacking there at all, its just that its become evident i need more calories...

i've also been reading up on Rippetoe.

I've heard allot of positive feedback from this program... anyone else had experience with it?

Strongly considering starting this as of March.. hoping to get maximum gains by May with it so i've got an actual reason to cut for the summer!


On the program i'm doing at the moment i have noticed so good strength gains and i'm enjoying it, but i do feel now that packing my routine with more compound exercises would be preferable for bigger strength and muscle gains!
 
well ive had a slight change of heart.. im taking bit of a gamble with this i suppose, but hey, thats life!

these last two months i feel ive done well.. i've shifted my lean mass from around 117 to around 124... but (and this was very likely to have been a mistake) i started reading up on TNT...

the reason i started reading it is because i was going to use this diet to cut at the end of May...

the thing is, whether it be through the art of persuasion, or just good scinentific common sense, the book ensures me that is possible to lose fat (without the loss of lean mass), and then build muscle with out gaining fat...

i'm sure allot of people will disagree with this, but seen as im non-the-wiser i thought i'd give it a go... after all, before i really got into this, all i wanted was to lose the belly fat... so if i can do that AND start to build muscle, well that just sounds perfect to me!

some of you may be aware, that the diet has various 'Plans' to follow... its a shame i cant delve straight into the Plan that best suits me, but thats sort of why i want to start it now... you see, with the diet, you HAVE to do the so-called 'Plan A' for 4 weeks to start with, and then you choose the plan that best suits you.. so if i start now with Plan A (which is basically getting the body to use fat as its primary energy source, rather than carbs) then come April through to the end of May i can focus on the Plan that builds muscle, while staying in the 'Fat Burning Zone' the majority of the time... So by summer, the plan being, that i've lost the belly fat i hate so much, and i can at least START to increase the size of my biceps!

hopefully i'll be able to keep this up throughout the year as well if thats the case.. if it all goes tits up, then end of summer i'll start another clean bulk and hopefully be able to get straight into it without all the questions i had to ask this time round..

these last 2 months have been so valuable in learning about what works and what doesn't, so if i fail in my goals this time round, at least next time round i'l be 'wised up' enough to give it a better shot...

lol god, i dont know if to look forward to this, or if to dread it!!
 
first couple of days on the TNT diet.. not too bad so far..
i can tell its not gna be easy, but im sure it wont take long before im used to it..
 
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