10/28/05

Bodyweight 292#

My diet is going well. I had dinner last night (chedder crusted meat loaf and celery root puree), so that is a well hydrated 292#. I should have a new low tomorrow.

I am still fighting off this cold, but at least it doesn't hurt to breathe anymore. I was going to go see my physician if it felt any worse. It is now more of a head cold and less like pneumonia.

Seated Barbell Overhead Press:210#x1/2/2/1/2/2 220#x0

These were real slow, so i didn’t even try the triples. 220# stapled me so I stopped there. I will lighten up and do some speed work with 180# on Monday.

Cable curls: 80#x10x8x10

Lightened these up and aimed for higher reps with strict form.

Rack pull:410#x3 420#x3 430#x1 450#x1 470#x1 500#x0

Couldn’t manage 500#. I will do 3x3 with 430# next time.

10/25/05

Bodyweight 295#

I have a somewhat bad chest cold, which seems to have weakened me a bit.

Seated Barbell OHP: 200#x2x3x3x2x2x3

These felt hard, and my wrist is still a bit sore.

Cable curl: 100#x5x5x4x4x3

Upright Barbell Row: 120#x5x5x5

Precor Super Squat:300#x5x5x5

Pec deck: 262.5#x5x5x4

Tricep machine: 150#x5x5x5

10/22/05

Bodyweight 291.5#

Not much to say today, I just wanted to post my new low in BWT, while I wait on an experiment in the lab this AM. I am going to make a serious run at hitting 285# by November 1st as my next mini-goal. If I then average even 2.5#/week for November and December i will be at 265# (~17% bodyfat) at years end. I will try to do better, but that is definitely an achievable goal.

10/21/05

Bodyweight: 292#

I was close to 2,000 Cal Yesterday. I will aim for 1,500-1,800 today.


Lillian overheard a couple of guys at the gym discussing my lifting today. One guy said to the other, "Believe it or not, under all that he is solid muscle". Oh, well. I guess I have a few more pounds to go before I really LOOK as strong as I am.

Dumbell Seated OHP:85#’ers x3x3x3x3x3

I had some trouble with my left hand losing the groove.

Cable curl: 100#x5x4x3x3x3

I did these super slow and strict.

Rack pull: 410#x3x3x3

These felt much better as my form has improved. I will start adding more weight.

Pec-deck: 262.5#x5x5x5
Tricep machine: 150#x5 155#x5x5

The last set was pretty close to failure.

10/19/05

10/19/05

Bodyweight: 293#

Looks like another 2# of water and a # of fat since yesterday. I am going to go up to ~1,500 Cal today and put a bit more protein in my diet (grilled flank steak marinated in cumin and fresh lime juice for lunch). I should be staying under 300# from here in out even with my water fluctuations.

If all goes well I should be under 385# in the next few weeks, which would put me total weightloss at 100#. Nice milestone considering 100# overweight is the qualification for weightloss surgery.

Lifting went okay considering how strict my diet currently is. I seem to do okay if I keep the sets really short and don't overdue the intensity.

Seated Dumbell overhead press: 75#’ers:x5x5x5x5x5

Precor Cable curl:100#x5x5x4x4x3

Ran out of gas a bit on these.

Precor “tru-squat”:270#x5 290#x5x5

I am trying to go well below parallel on these.

Standing Barbell Row: 120#x5x5x5

Cybex pec-deck: 262.5#x5x5x4

I try to do these real slow to maximize TUT (time under tension)

Cybex tricep machine:135#x5x5x5

10/18/05

Bodyweight 296#

I managed to stick to 1000 Cal yesterday and was rewarded with a big loss as I shed 3# or so of water. I will keep my diet strict today (~1,000 Cal) and see if I can hit 295# tomorrow. I won't lose anymore water but 1,000 Cal might be low enough for me to drop a whole pound of fat in one day (mainainance=(15cal/#)(296#)=4,440Cal-1,000Cal=3,440 Cal or ~1# of fat).

I worked out at home last night in an effort to hold off muscle loss. I will actually go to the gym tomorrow for a more comprehensive workout. I have to stick with lifting 3xweek even if don't make it to the gym.

Push ups: x12 x12 x12

Given my bodyweight these are actually a decent strength exercise. Next time I will do these with my feet elevated and focus on a lower rep range. When I am dieting seveerly high reps are very hard.

Dumbell Concentration curls:42.5#x5x5x5x5x5

I rigged up one of my wife's adjustable chrome bells with some of my olympic plates.

one arm DB press: 62.5#x5x5x5x5x5 R&L

Balance was a little difficult with the adjustable bell.

10/17/05

Bodyweight 300#

I am still dipping above the 300# mark when carbed up. This weeks goal is to dip under 292.5# by Saturday AM, and then get under 290# by Halloween. Today's diet should be well under 1,500 Cal.

I will be going to the Gym at the end of the day.

10/14/05

Bodyweight 298.5#

Dropped some of that water I picked up Wed. My diet is going okay, I am again shooting for 1,500 Cal today. For my treat at Lunch I am going to have 300 Cal worth of a chocolate cream pie I made yesterday (I used Valrhona Cocoa and Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate in a butter crust). I have back to back birthdays to attend this weekend, so I probably won't be under 295# till the end of next week.

I will be going to the Gym later this afternoon.

10/13/05

Bodyweight 300.5#

As expected, dinner at Havana Central has me up several pounds, due mainly to putting on several pounds of water weight. I am sure I was still a good 1,000 Cal or so below maintainance in spite of the Mojito's and ropa vieja.

My sister and her family (husband Greg and son Matt) went of to see "Spamalot" after dinner and we took the A-train home.

Back to 1,500 Cal today.

10/12/05

Body weight: 297#

I made it to the gym today, and I was even able to bring my gym bag, since they relaxed the stepped up subway security. My wrist seems to be 100%, but I think I will stay with dumbell presses for the next few weeks as a change of pace.


My diet is going well, although I will be over 2,000 cal today. We are having dinner with my sister and her family tonight at a Cuban restaurant (Havana Central in Times Square). I will have to pass on the free lunch with today's seminar speaker to reign in my consumption a bit.


DB seated presses: 80#x3x3x3x5x5

Starting to get my groove down on these.

Cable curls: 100#x5x5x5x4x4

Precor “Tru-squat”:180#x5 200#x5 220#x5 250#x5 270#x5

I like this machine. I think I will stick with this execise for a while.

Precor Long Pull:180#x5x5x5

Pec deck: 262.5#x5x5x5

Tricep machine:150#x5x5x5

10/11/05

Bodyweight 298#

The last hole on my belt is feeling a little loose; I should be able to move on to the new 40" belt I bought a few weeks ago. I think I hit 2,000 Cal yesterday. I will aim to stay at 1,500 today.

10/10/05

Bodyweight 301#

Working on 1,500 Cal today for my diet. I really want to get a few pounds under 295 by the end of the week. Maybe this week will be the last time I go over 300#, even temporarily. I seem to pick up about 7# of water when I carb up, so getting under 293# should do it.

My wrist is nearly 100% so I should be able to lift a bit heavier at the gym tomorrow. I am planning on keeping my wrists straight during my pressing for a while yet, so I will focus on dumbell work. I will also resume grip training this week (but no steel bending).

"kijken kijken niet kopen"

Lillian and I visited the Sony Store on Saturday to carefully examine every HDTV they had on hand, weigh all of their merits, interrogate the sales people, pick the best TV, and then walk out without buying anything. I think we probably will end up buying the 32" Sony LCD television from Costco. Lillian wanted to try and haggle with the salesman, but I didn't see the point since we were not about to buy on the spot, and I doubt they would match Costco's price.



We then went out for a really great lunch at Doug Psaltis' new restauarant "Country". We dined in the bar area, which was very reasonably priced for the sort of quality being offered. We started with a very interesting roasted artichoke preparation (artichokes, chanterelles, dried cherries, romano cheese, and some 25 year old balsamic vinegar; $10, made a decent appetizer for two) then Lillian had a pasta dish with truffle oil and truffle shavings that was quite good ($18), and I had a very good "steak frites" ($27). This was all off of the bar menu; the main restaurant won't be opening till next month. Psaltis' used to cook for Allain Ducasse (Sous chef at ADNY, executive chef Mix) and, most recently Thomas Keller ("French Laundry"), and is one of the most talented chef's in New York. We will definitely be coming back here.

Lost a ring size

One consequence of all this dieting is that my wedding band is getting seriously loose. I was a much less muscular 335# back in 1994 when I was fitted for my wedding band, and now it is sliding off way too easily. I am going to have to resize it soon or risk having it fall off somewhere inconvenient.

Good thing I happen to have a jeweler's saw, some 18kt solder and a torch!

10/7/05

Bodyweight 295.5#

New low in weight. I am going to stay super strict today (1,000 Cal) and try to get under 295# for tomorrow's weigh-in. THEN I will eat a massive piece of that chocolate and apricot tart with plenty of whipped cream.

I didn't lift until today this week because of a minor wrist injury. I still have to be careful as to which pressing exercises I do while it heals.

Precor OHP "Fly":2-45#x3

Couldn't keep my right rist completely straight so I switched to dumbells.

Seated dumbell overhead press:50#x5 60#x5 70#x5 80#x3x3

These were okay. I will go heavier next time, but I was cautious about my wrist.

Cable curl:100#x5x4x4x4x4

Rack pull (deadlift from above the knee in a power rack):230#x3 320#x3 410#x2x2x3

Starting to get my form down on the last set. I will try to go heavier next time.

Pec deck:262.5#x5x5x5x5x5

Tricep machine:150#x5x5x5

10/6/05

Bodyweight 298#

Back under 300# and looking towards getting under 295# by Saturday morning. I think I will use 1,500 Cal as a target for today and go for 1,000 on Friday in preparation for Saturday's weigh-in.

10/5/05

Bodyweight 300#

Waist: 44.5"

Looks like I knocked another 1/2" off my waist, and I am weighing in at a pretty well hydrated 300#. I may ease up on the cheating this weekend and make a run at getting down to 293# or so. On the culinary front, I made myself a nice treat this week: milk chocolate and apricot tart, which I have been treating myself to slivers of at lunch time. It definitely does a better job satisfying my hunger than the Oreos I had been eating the past couple of weeks. Dinner is still water and sugar-free gum, and my claorie count is around 1,500/day.

10/3/05

Bodyweight 302#

I should be able to get under 295# this week if I stay on 1,500 Cal/day for the rest of the week. Goal for the month is to get under 285#. I think I had about 6,000 Cal on Saturday so I won't see a new low in bodyweight until at least Wednesday, after I am thoroughly carb depleted.
I wish I could have a "do over" regarding Saturday's lunch; Lillian and I finally tried Union Square Cafe, which is Danny Meyer's first restaurant and still dominates the Zagat rankings. For some reason we had never eaten their in spite of the fact that we really enjoy all of Danny's other properties (Gramercy Tavern, Modern, Eleven Madison, Tabla, Blue Smoke and Shake Shack). I guess the fact that the place is so popular, yet pretty much "off the radar" on eGullet should have had me concerned. The restaurant looks nice and definitely has the super friendly, extremely attentive service that is a hallmark of Danny Meyer's establishments. In fact, I am a little uncomfortable with the way the staff are trained to convulse into a big fake smile if you make eye contact with them from across the room. I guess most people really like that forced friendliness, but I get a rather disturbing vibe from it.

Lillian and I split a green salad, then she had the a Tuna tartare appetizer as an entree and I had the fettucine with pancetta, corn and oven dried tomatoes in a gorgonzola sauce. We split the hazelnut cake with maple ice cream for dessert. The food, while the ingredients were fresh and of good quality, was poorly seasoned. You have to wonder if anyone in that kitchen is actually tasting what is being plated up. One bite and I was reaching for the salt shaker and the pepper mill. Lillian ended up dousing her Tuna with lemon, but she still found parts of the dish inedible. To the restaurants credit they immediately took her Tuna off of the bill. Dessert was a simple hazelnut cake served with a scoop of maple ice cream.

I must say that I find a meal like that really frustrating when I am dieting because I feel that i have "wasted" my calories on a sub-par experience. I want my few high calorie meals to be really spectacular, to give me something to look forward too. Dinner at home was much better. We grilled up some Prime tenderloin tips from Fresh Direct and served them with grilled asparagus. Dessert was a small chocolate hazelnut pastry from Fauchon.

Aside from eating, we visited the Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park, and went to gawk at the 80" Samsung plasma TV in the Time Warner Center. I happened to see my old landlord from when we lived in Philadelphia checking out the giant plasma, but he didn't seem to recognize me. I guess dropping 85# and seeing me out of context would make me a bit difficult to recognize.