31/365

Workout A
5x5 Squat - 180#
5x5 Bench - 130#
3xF Row - 12,12,12
3xF Pushup - 15,15,15
3x12 Reverse Crunch

3 hours outdoor ride. Two segments where I was really hammering. Great ride.

Food
Cereal+banana
Clif bar
Polenta+veg
Noodles from a couple days ago
Multigrain chips


Great lift today. I'm really proud of myself for getting out of bed so I could make this happen. Kind of irrationally proud of myself, it's the kind of discipline that I've had a really hard time getting. A killer ride topped things off.
Weighed in at 194.5#. Two more pounds down!

30/365

Workout
None. First skipped workout of the year. Just didn't pan out - forgot my gym clothes at home this morning, failed on getting out after getting home this evening. Kind of disheartening. My big plan is to get to the gym tomorrow morning early before my 10:30 ride. Wake up at 7, breakfast, at gym by 7:45, quick lift, home by 9, gear up and out the door by 10:15. Then all will be back on track.

Food
cereal+1/2 banana
burrito bowl w/o rice
clif bar
trail mix bar
carrots+hummus
multigrain chips
polenta+kale

I don't think that I'm too off track for having missed today. I have overeaten, but not immensely and I know that I've been holding myself to a high standard (for myself) and I'm riding pretty high after yesterday's workout.

29/365

Workout
2 hours riding, 90 minutes hard

Food
cereal+raisins
bagel
beans+veg on spinach, apple
clif bar
pretzels
noodles+veg, fake chicken
brown rice bar

First experience using a Saris PowerBeam trainer tonight and I really enjoyed it. I'd buy one in a second if I had the money in hand.

28/365

Workout B
5x5 squat - 175#
5x5 press - 90#x1, 75#x4
1x5 deadlift - 165#
3xF pull/chin-up - 6,5,4 (less assistance)
3x30 sec plank - one arm/one leg each side
1 hour riding

Food
cereal+1/2 banana
beans+veg on spinach, apple
clif bar
pretzels
pb sandwich
eggplant, spinach, sweet potato fries
walnuts+chocolate chips


Dropped weight down for the first time since entering into this cycle and I feel good about it. Overhead press is a hard one for me and I'm excited that I got up to 90 without much problem. 75 is something which was hard for me for a long time and today I put it up with not problems. My pullups, I cut the assistance down more than usual to offset the weight cut in the press.
Still making progress.

27/365

Food
oatmeal+1/2 banana
beans+quinoa+veggies, apple
clif bar
eggplant+broccoli+noodles

No workout today. I get really restless on rest days, which I guess means that I'm not going hard enough on my workout days. Starting next week, I'll be spending my Tuesday evenings at the dome in Milford, NH doing a couple of hard hours instead of loafing. Here's hoping!

26/365

Workout A
5x5 squat - 170#
5x5 bench - 125#
3xF row - 12,10,12
3xF pushup - 12,12,12
3x12 reverse crunch
50 minutes hard spinning


Food
cereal+1/2 banana
1/2 clif bar
bagel
1/2 clif bar
beans+veg, quinoa
dark chocolate

Felt kind of bad lifting today. Didn't eat much during the day, which accounts for it, but doesn't make it easier when I have a hard time putting up 125#.

25/365

Workout
90 minutes elliptical intervals

Food
A bunch

24/365

Workout
3 1/2 hour ride at a gentlemanly pace

Food
cereal+raisins, 1/2 banana
2 clif bars
bagel+cc, 1/2 banana
snacks
nugs, soup, sweet potato fries

Had a fantastic ride, not easy, not hard pace. A lot of focus on my cadence and pedal stroke, keeping my shoulders relaxed - the mechanics of riding.

Weighed myself today. 196.4#! Lost 5 pounds in the past two weeks. Body fat is at about 13%. Feeling really really really good about things. Definitely happy right now.

23/365

Workout B
5x5Squat - 165#
5x5Press - 90#
1x5Deadlift - 160#
Pull/Chinup - 5,4,5
3x30sec Plank - one leg each side

2 hours easy outdoor ride.

Food
oatmeal+banana
indian leftovers
clif bar
trail mix
lentil+bean burger w/tater tots

Had a couple really good hours on the bike. Had a super efficient lifting session, new pb on my overheads, but I'm going to cut the weight down next week, probably because I'm crushing myself doing 85+. Squats are feeling good and my legs are becoming more shapely in the places they're supposed to be shapely but tend not to end up shapely from cycling.
Feeling good.
Last two days dinners have been out, which is not so bad because I've managed to eat proper amounts. I'm glad to be able to get myself to not overeat. Happy about things so far.

22/365

Workout
100 minutes spin class, 90 real hard.

Food
cereal+1/2banana
pasta+veggie burger
clif bar
indian food

Spinning was great. Total full on attack.

21/365

Workout A
5x5squat - 160#
5x5bench - 120#
3xF row - 12,10,10
3xF pushup - 15,13,15
3x12 reverse crunch

Food
oatmeal+pb
burrito w/o rice
wheat pasta
trail mix bar
soup+chicken nugs

20/365

Rest day

Food
oatmeal+1/2 banana
salad+pita
trail mix bar
wheat pasta+spinach, onion, field roast

19/365

Workout B
5x5squat - 155#
5x5press - 85#(pb)
1x5deadlift - 155#
3xF pullup - 7,7,6
3x30sec plank - one leg each way

120 minutes easy ride outside
60 minutes spin

Food
oatmeal+banana
burrito, chips+guac
pasta+spinach, beans, peppers
protein shake

Great lifting. Personal best in press. Hard sets with squats. Glad I rode so much.

18/365

Workout
90 minutes ride in lots of snow!

Food
cereal+1/2banana
bagel+cc
shake
fancy vegan prix fixe from Tremont647

17/365

Workout
120 mins on trainer, slow and easy

Food
pancakes+tofu scramble, oj
polenta+soyrizo, veggies
pb sandwich, baked beans
cereal, trail mix bars

Riding felt mediocre but it opened up my legs which was my only goal. Not much to say about it.

16/365

Workout A
5x5squat - 150#
5x5bench - 115#
3xF row - 12,11,11
3xF pushup - 12,12,13
3x12 reverse curl

Food
cereal+1/2 banana
carrot ginger soup+avocado sushi roll
trail mix
polenta+soyrizo

15/365

Workout
90 minute spin

Food
oatmeal+yogurt
roasted veg+tofu
cereal bar
salad+tofu
yogurt+almonds, raisins

Had a great workout. Felt like I was really crushing it.

14/365

Workout B
5x5squat - 145#
5x5press - 80#
1x5deadlift - 150#
3xF chin/pull - 7,5,5
3x30sec plank - one each side one-legged
75 minutes hard spinning

Food
cereal+1/2banana
burrito
cereal bar
roasted veg soup, chips+guac, fake turkey slices
yogurt+almonds, flax, raisins

Lifting today was great. Really in the groove with this lifting plan. The constant incremental increases leave me pretty toasted afterward. My squatting has gotten much better and I'm not letting myself favor my left knee too much and it is responding with aplomb.
Spin class was with a different instructor than I normally have and it left me with a lot to be desired. I still don't enjoy spinning for the sake of spinning, for obvious reasons, I greatly prefer a spin class which is even remotely related to cycling. The instructor on Mondays is that kind of teacher, Wednesdays, not so much. Still, I worked hard and related it as best I could and I got a hell of a sweat on. Success, I suppose.

13/365

Workout
none yet

Food
cereal+banana
orange
tofu+roasted veg, apple
cereal bar
veg pot pie, zucchini bread


Not sure if I'm going to do any workout today. Might just take it easy and work on some bikes. Maybe I'll end up on the rollers or something. Haven't had a pure day off from working out yet this year.
Took a day off and felt good about it. Managed to avoid my pitfall of overeating when I'm not working out. That's one of my big goals to maintain - not eating myself into oblivion if I'm not on my bike or in the gym.

12/365

Workout A
5x5squat - 140#
5x5bench - 110#
3xF row - 12,10,10
3xF pushup - 12,12,12
3x12 reverse crunch

Food
oatmeal+banana
orange
salad+lentil soup
tofurkey sandwich, homemade sweet potato chips, apple
zucchini bread

Felt really, really good lifting. I had mediocre first two sets of squat and bench, but got my form right and was doing a great job controlling the weight and holding a strong form. Also, I felt like I did the best pushups I have ever done in my life.

11/365

Workout
60minutes elliptical intervals

Food
oatmeal+banana
roasted veg soup, sweet potato fries, chicken nugs
black bean pizza
hermits

Reflections
Using the elliptical instead of riding on a trainer is welcome for me. I have a hard time staying motivated on the trainer, though I'm probably going to go back to using rollers more often. It just felt like a good idea to get out of the house to exercise. Desserts totally slay me.

10/365

Workout
90 minute fairly easy solo ride

Food
cereal+banana
couscous
popcorn
roasted veg soup w/meatballs+bread
honey wafers

Reflections
End of the first full week of the year. Weight 202#. 15.8% fat. 8+ hours on the bike (490 minutes).
Felt like my riding was pretty consistent. The Thursday spin class was really challenging and I plan on having that be my hard indoor day.
Lifting was strong all week. Very glad to be back on a lifting plan, it's something I miss a lot when I'm not doing and I am really sensitive to perceived weakness. I can tell the difference in my physique immediately after starting a new plan. My shoulders, chest, back and arms all return to shape quickly.
Only commuted twice this week. Not bad considering the weather but not as good as I'd like. Working on it.

9/365

Workout B
5x5squat - 135#
5x5press - 75#
1x5deadlift - 145#
3xF pullup - 7,6,6
3x30sec plank

Food
cereal
burrito, chips+guac
cereal bar
tofu, rice, veggies
hummus+pita
cereal

Reflections
Felt good with squats and deadlifts. Overhead press, I can feel my lower back bowing. I spent a lot of time during and between my sets focusing really hard on keeping myself from leaning back while doing the press. I find that my lower back is the weakest point on my body. I know it's because of my tail bone and the muscles being out of place.

8/365

Workout
100minute spin class, hard pace

Food
cereal+banana
salad, kombucha
trail mix bars
tofu udon noodles
raisins

7/365

Workout A
5x5squat - 125#
5x5bench - 105#
3xF row - 10,10,10
3xF pushup - 12,12,12
3x12 reverse crunch
20min elliptical intervals


Food
cereal+banana
mac+cheese, apple
granola bar
mac+cheese, cranberries, apricot, pistachio, dark chocolate

Reflections
Felt really strong lifting today. I'm reaching closer to where I had left off when I stopped lifting regularly a few years ago. I've been concentrating hard on my form in all exercises which is definitely a good and important step, it's just going to be frustrating when I reach a plateau again. I have a plan in place for what I will do when I reach that point, but I'm still not looking forward to it.

6/365

Workout
2 hours ride, easy pace


Food
oatmeal+cranberries
pita+muhammarah
pb+j, apple
mac+cheese, applesauce+walnuts+cranberries, cookie

Reflections
Portions need to get smaller. Working on that is the most important thing for me to achieve goals.

5/365

Workout A
5x5squat - 120#
5x5press - 70#
1x5lift - 140
3xF pullup - 6,6,6
3x30sec plank

45 minutes of intervals, 45 minutes of spin class

Food
oatmeal, cranberry, banana
salad, veg chicken salad, bagel+hummus
trail mix bar, bread+muhammarah
soup+drunken noodles
cookies

Reflections
Got a migraine while riding. Felt pretty weak while lifting. Not a great gym day overall, but I did it, so that's all that matters.

4/365

Workout
easy 90 minute ride to Natick via Newton Ctr

Food
oatmeal+banana
bagel
bagel w/hummus, veggies
grape leaves, trail mix, pb sandwich
spinach+grain, bean soup
mochi

Reflections
chill ride with no ambition except to ride in the cold rather than drive to work. Success.

3/365

Workout
ride 2 hours with one other person, was pulling the whole time, 200-300w, 85-100cadence

Food
oatmeal+banana
bagel+tofu, avocado
sweet potato sushi+inari
broccoli+rice, various snacking

Reflections
Felt pretty strong, managed to hold cadence well, didn't push it too hard at any point. Focused on breathing, keeping able to talk comfortably, pedal stroke. Climbing was comfortable at higher watts.

2/365

Workout A
5x5 squat - 110#
5x5 bench - 100#
3xF row - 8,8,10
3xF pushup - 12,12,15
3x12 reverse crunch
20 min elliptical intervals

Food
oatmeal + banana
egglpant, tofu scramble, tabbouleh, orange
bagel
roasted veg, seitan, beet greens, grains, granola

Reflections
Felt like my form with squats was really good. Managed to get a bit lower than before. Bad knees mean that I have to really focus hard on getting my extension all the way to the bottom. Push ups have always been really hard for me and I've been using the advice of tightening my glutes for pushups and rows. I feel better about them than I had felt before. I still feel like I should be comfortable doing longer sets. Knee pain in squats was minimal, shoulder pain in bench press was minor but noticeable.

1/365

Workout B
5x5 squat - 100#
5x5 press - 65#
1x5 deadlift - 135#
3xF pullup - 3,3,5
3x30s standard plank
30min elliptical intervals

Food (ugh)
3 bagels
sm tofu scramble
curry pie
peanut butter
CONSTANT SNACKING

Reflections
Felt really good lifting this morning, lifting felt easy but at this point I'm focusing on form rather than weight. Pullups were pretty rough. I have been snacking all day because I've been stuck inside because of cold and snow.

Goals.

First post.
Only writing to track my progress and keep motivated.

Fitness goals for 2009
- weight at or below 170#
- body fat under 8%
- competitive in cat 4 on road
- upgrade to cat 3 in cross
- commute more than 50% of the time
- stick to eating, lifting and riding plan


Personal goals for 2009
- apply for grad school for 2010
- positive attitude at work and home
- do not destroy phone
- hang out with people instead of just at home