2012 | Day 261: YOUR 100%

MOTIVATIONAL OF THE DAY

YOUR 100%

Your 100% today is not the same as it was yesterday, nor is it the same as what it will be tomorrow. That’s ok. We change on a daily basis and what we are capable of, the intensity at which we are about to operate at, the effort that we are able to ask of our body, changes too. That does NOT mean that just because you cannot do what you did yesterday that you are NOT giving your 100% TODAY.

Life goes up and down and so do we. We have good days and bad days, days when we can take on the world and days where we only want to hide from the world, days where nothing can stop us and days where a single push could topple us over. We’re only human and it’s OK to be human.

As long as you enter each day with the attitude and determination to make that day as BEST as you can and give your 100%, then you will be ok. No matter what your 100% is on any given day, GIVE it, regardless of how you feel it is compared to time past or what you think it should be. As long as you give your 100% you are doing your best, and that is the mark of a CHAMPION.

© 2012 Rosie Chee

TRAINING

Have actually NOT had a day OFF training since Sunday 2 September (after updating on 9 September I went and did Shoulders/Hamstrings later that night), since I was preparing for the Iron Asylum photoshoot Saturday 8 September and then the one for the World Physique Magazine Swimsuit issue Sunday 16 September. That said, this last week I have made an EASY/deload week, since I haven't had a week OFF training since I started back [after tearing my right rotator cuff/biceps' tendons] on Monday 10 January this year - although I DO consider this a week OFF, I still did two days of resistance training, albeit the first primarily TRX training re Shoulders/Hamstrings and the second as much bodyweight exercises as possible with some weights re Arms/Abs, for shorter than usual training times, no post-weights cardio, and only a run six days (tomorrow will be a complete day OFF ALL training). Because both my shoulders and wrists have been giving me issues over the last few weeks, I'm hoping that the time "off" will have helped them recover, and I know in times past in coming back from an "easy"/"week off" my progress has been faster. On Monday it will be back to my USUAL training, with Sundays my weekly scheduled day OFF.

OTHER NOTES

Sleep: Sleeping patterns have been fairly consistent - getting up between 0300-0500 and going to bed between 1000-1300. If my body is feeling more exhausted, my "sleep-in" on a Saturday or Sunday may be 0600.

Mood: This has been up and down over the last couple of weeks due to several events and experiences, but fairly good for the most part, and I know that things can only get BETTER, even if some things are in "limbo" and are "unknown" right now.

Energy: My energy has been up and down. Feeling it wane and suddenly DROP like I'm "crashing" around 1300-1500 most days, and I've just felt like sleeping, but pushing through.

Body Composition: 8.4% bodyfat - I was 8.3% bodyfat 8 September and ~8.1% 16 September, so small fluctuations over the last couple of weeks. I'm ok at this body composition, although I notice the difference in muscle hardness from not having done resistance training this week. and have to MAINTAIN this or LOWER for myself. Deltoids and arms have the most muscle mass that they have ever had, looking the most defined and vascular that they ever had, despite the higher body composition, and even when my waist down has been affected by slight water retention, etc. from "bad" nutritional habits over the last week, they just looked BETTER after each "bad" eating.

Joints: Both shoulders and wrists have been hurting quite a lot of late - just yesterday, even standing doing nothing my right shoulder was throbbing with a sharp pain - so trying to minimize the pain and discomfort level. Have been strapping my wrists, especially since my left wrist has become a little weaker and causing a lot of pain during resistance training.

Quality of Training: See notes above under "Training".

Nutrition: This has been fairly normal - although for the last week or so been CRAVING chocolate and sushi like there's no other food in the world, which is a little odd.

Supplements: Ran out of AnaBeta 15 September and Recompadrol 18 September, as well as been without RecoverPRO since 14 September, so been with the bare basics of Alpha-T2, Erase, Shred Matrix, and Vitamin C for a bit. I have also not been using a preworkout since running out of Assault a couple of months ago, finding it ok, although noticing the difference it has made to my training. Because of my body I have become a little reliant on some supplements, almost like some people are reliant on their medication, and with a few specific products I definitely notice the difference - and it's not a good difference - in the way my body feels and operates when I do NOT have them.

Other Notes: Life has been busy, hectic, and stressful, but full of many moments of opportunity and wonder, memories being created that will last a lifetime. I'm growing more as I live, learning every single day, doing what I can to ensure constant progress and making what difference I can. The next few months have a lot of changes coming, but I am ready for it, welcoming them with acceptance and an open soul.

Review of PES Erase Pro

Two bottles of Erase Pro used (6 February to 30 May 2012)...

What is it?



* [Test-Estro-Cort]
* High Affinity AI
* Hard | Dry | Lean

For more information on the product, please review PES :: ERASE PRO

Estrogen Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Estrogen levels from pre to post-Erase Pro, I did not have bloods done. I would like to note that during the time I have used Erase Pro, I have had regular monthly menstruation - and yes, it IS UNusual for a female to do so when leaner, but just another example of how different my body is, given that I do not generally bleed if I am above 12% bodyfat (which I have not been for a long time now).

Testosterone Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Testosterone levels from pre to post-Erase Pro, I did not have bloods done.

Cortisol Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Cortisol levels from pre to post-Erase Pro, I did not have bloods done. That said, stress is an accepted "fact" in my life (in everyone's life) and mine are pretty much perpetually HIGHER than high. Add to that, the time over which I used Erase Pro has been the most stressful and disruptive months of my life [to date] and you have a recipe for complete disaster - however, despite everything, and yes, there WERE times when I noticed changes in my midsection, I DID maintain under 9.2% bodyfat the entire time, which says something (especially given some of the months re nutrition and training).

Muscle Hardness: Actually, my muscle hardness was pretty good. Definitely becoming more and more noticeable during training, with definition a lot stronger the last few months than it ever has been.

Water Retention/Dryness: This has been up and down, with a high dependence upon my nutrition - which has not always been the best over the last few months (for the first time since I started using the Lean Gains' 16-hour fast/8-hour feeding window in May 2011, I diverted from it and went back to eating ALL the time for several weeks in March/April, before getting back on track), and water intake - there have been surprisingly a lot of days when I have struggled to get my [UK] galleon of water in (not drinking enough definitely affects how I feel, especially when I have extra-high carbohydrates).

Body Composition: Fluctuating between 7.8-9.2% bodyfat over the course of my usage of Erase Pro, currently at 8% bodyfat. Recomping, with periods when aiming at leaning down more than simply "maintaining" or letting my body "be". Starting Erase Pro, I was a month back into training after extended time out from multiple injuries at the end of 2011, during which I had lose the muscle mass that I had worked so hard to rebuild in my delts and arms - said muscle mass which I have managed to build back up (for the THIRD time), to BETTER than what it was pre-time-out, which I am pleased with. That said, I have been using my "staples" for the better part of my time with Erase Pro, as well as tried a couple of "new" products in there as well, all of which have had a contributing factor in my body composition changes (along with nutrition, training, and recovery - since those have also differed from my "norm" over the last few months).

Overall: I enjoyed my usage of Erase Pro, and although it helped contribute to rebuilding my [upper] body back up, I actually prefer the ORIGINAL Erase than Erase Pro. Erase Pro is a good product, but I experienced more "drying" and less water retention when using JUST the original (hence why I stopped using Erase Pro the week prior to my photoshoots in April and the two weeks prior to my photoshoot in May).

Would I use again? Likely.

Would I recommend? Yes, although depending on the individual's goal, I might recommend the original over Erase Pro, or possibly stacking them.

Review of Finaflex-Redefine Nutrition's G8 (Lemon Freeze flavour)

Because of my screwed up sleeping patterns, Doug suggested that I try G8, and Al was kind enough to send me a tub to use, to see if it made a difference. It DID - although not the way you might expect (explained below) - and this is what happened...

What is it?


For more information on G8, review Finaflex-Redefine Nutrition :: G8.


Formula: The formula was actually what intrigued me about G8 and the only reason I said "yes" to trying it [since every other natural Growth Hormone booster - aside from IGF-2 - has NOT worked with my body and screwed me up for quite some time on cessation of use (explained below)].

Smell: Like lemon scented dishwashing liquid.

Taste: I am not a fan of Lemon flavour in general, but the Lemon Freeze G8 flavour was downright nasty and almost like drinking chalk (if you ground it up) - one of the worst tasting supplements I have ever used.

Mixability: G8 mixed well with water. No clumps, although a little bit of bubbles on settling.

Texture: Like fruit juice once the "bubbles" settled.

ELEVATE

Growth Hormone Levels: Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Growth Hormone levels from pre to post-G8, I did not have bloods done. That said, Growth Hormone contributes to muscle growth and leanness in females, and I definitely noticed an INcrease in muscle mass - particularly in my delts and arms (even though bodyfat INcreased, definition also became stronger) - over the period of my use of G8 [although my training was slightly above my Maintenance training levels and my caloric consumption was almost ~3,000 in excess of my Maintenance calories, any muscle gains cannot be solely attributed to G8].

Mood and Overall Sense of Feeling: During my use of G8 my mood was all over the place due to external circumstances.

Sex Drive and Libido: Libido was up and down when using G8 - rather high during the first week, subsiding a little into the next. Regardless, circumstances meant I didn't do anything about it.

RESTORE

Insulin-Like Growth Factor Levels: Although it would have been interesting to see the changes in my Insulin-Like Growth Factor levels from pre to post-G8, I did not have bloods done. As mentioned above under "Growth Hormone Levels", "I definitely noticed an INcrease in muscle mass - particularly in my delts and arms (even though bodyfat INcreased, definition also became stronger) - over the period of my use of G8 [although my training was slightly above my Maintenance training levels and my caloric consumption was almost ~3,000 in excess of my Maintenance calories, any muscle gains cannot be solely attributed to G8]."

Dopamine and Serotonin Levels: Although I would have liked to see the changes in both my Dopamine and Serotonin levels from pre to post-G8, I did not have bloods done. That said, I have a Dopamine IMbalance - one of the reasons why most natural Growth Hormone boosters have the OPPOSITE than INTENDED effect on me (yes, I know, my body is screwed up) - with mine being TOO LOW. Not only that, but my Adenosine levels are too HIGH, which comes into play as well.

Self-Confidence: Supplements don't have an effect on my self-confidence.

RECOVER

Recovery: My recovery was good. I was training pretty hard, upping the intensity each time as I could. My second week using G8, I upped the intensity in resistance sessions by a reasonable amount (which has contributed to my joint conditioning worsening), albeit going a little "easier" re pm cardio, using the Recline Bike instead of a 7-mile Run, due to the increasing pain in my knees.

Sleep: Sleep was all over the place (see "Sleeping Patterns" under "Other Notes" below), with the first week I was using G8, UNable to sleep for ~1.5 days, and then - very likely because of the heavy training and lack of sleep for ~1,5 days - slept for almost HALF a day. Sleep, when got, was VERY deep and Uninterrupted, although I most often woke very groggy, not wanting to get up and it taking some time to, feeling like someone was trying to drill a hole in my head.

OTHER NOTES

Other Effects: Despite being HIGHLY stressed (one of the only two instances when my skin can be affected negatively) and during the only time I might see a blemish or two, it was surprisingly NOT affected by the circumstance, as clear and smooth as ever, which was nice...Appetite was also drastically elevated during my use of G8, moreso than my "usual", and for the two weeks of using G8, I was eating ~10,000 calories on the "days" when I was AWAKE, bringing me out at an average close to ~7,000 calories per day (since on a couple of days I did not eat at all, due to rising and training hours) - no wonder my body composition (see "Body Statistics" under "Other Notes" below) concurrently changed so drastically (my Maintenance calories are ~4,300 a day)....

Cliffnotes on observations during use and week-post cessation of use of G8:

Training Schedule
Week 1 - four resistance sessions, three days of double cardio (two done on cardio only days, the other on Full-Body day, two done re 7-mile run); training all done from ~2200 (instead of usual start from ~0430)
Week 2 - four resistance sessions, three days of double cardio (two done on resistance training days, only one done re 7-mile run); day off this week on Tuesday instead of Sunday; training all done from ~0530 (instead of usual start from ~0430)
Week post-cessation of G8 - "easy/deload" week with only three days of resistance training and four days of cardio, only one session of running (normally would do 5-7 runs a week)

Sleeping Patterns
Week 1 - no sleep for 1.5 days and then sleep for almost half a day
Week 2 - slept for 4-5 hours daily, albeit all over the place, falling sleep time INconsistent
Week post-cessation of G8 - with the exception of Monday (where no sleep at all) and Sunday (where slept for ~10 hours), rest of the week sleeping for ~1 hour early in the day and then 3-5 hours later in the day most days, waking with appetite HIGH

Body Statistics
Start pre-use of G8 - 8% bodyfat at 108.4 pounds
End of Week 1 - 8.5% bodyfat at 111 pounds (+0.5% bodyfat; +2.6 pounds body mass: +1.837 pounds lean, +1.763 pounds bodyfat)
End of Week 2 - 9% bodyfat at 113.2 pounds (+0.5% bodyfat; +2.2 pounds body mass: +1.447 pounds lean, +0.753 pounds bodyfat)
End of Week post-cessation of G8 - 8.9% bodyfat at 115.2 pounds (-0.1% bodyfat; +2 pounds body mass: +1.9352 pounds lean, +0.0648 pounds bodyfat)

CONCLUSION

Overall: This is rather difficult for me to do, since G8 DID give me great sleep - when I slept: Deep, UNdisturbed, and restful. BUT, it also severely messed up my sleeping patterns (which, honestly, even though they have had their moments of being on track, have not been the same since I came to the US), which I did not enjoy. And the OTHER effects I experienced, especially re appetite (although this can also be attributed to training heavily and being awake for more than a day many days), I did NOT appreciate (given what my appetite is ALREADY like).

Would I use it again? I actually STOPPED using G8 after two weeks of use because, despite the awesome sleep it gave me, it was (and still is) DRASTICALLY affecting my sleeping patterns, which in turn was having some very UNwanted effects re other factors. So, no, I would not use G8 again myself personally.

Would I recommend? If one is looking for extreme deep and rested sleep, and they have had no issues (like I have) using natural Growth Hormone boosters in the past, then yes, I might recommend G8 (any recommendation/s I made re supplements are based on what will be best for that individual re their goals and needs and other personal factors, etc.).

Day 156: Bring on June!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Ask yourself "What can I do different today to better myself as an individual so that I can better others." Humility is remaining teachable." - Ben Booker


TRAINING

Day OFF.


COMMENTS

Sleep - Time and Quality: ~2 hours. Back to sleep though (thankfully) for another ~3 hours, giving a total of ~5 hours, which is perfect for me re function.

Mood/Aggression: Good.

Energy: I'm going to do some yardwork later today when it's cooler.

Mental Focus and Clarity: On the ball. Mind is clear - had to make a couple of hard decisions today, but I know where I am headed, what I want to achieve.

Body Composition and Look: 111.2 pounds at 8.8% bodyfat. So, nothing spectacular like the 1.1% bodyfat loss of last week. However, when you break it down, it IS something - a gain of 1.2044 pounds of lean body mass and a LOSS of 0.0044 pounds of bodyfat. A mix of change in training venues and how I improvised re training, as well as nutrition. Pleased with the progress, even though it was only a loss of 0.1% bodyfat. But - next week had better be another ~1.1% bodyfat loss!

Other Notes: ~1.5 weeks until my photoshoot with Dan Ray, ~3 weeks until my photoshoots with Walt Ostarly, and ~6 weeks to competition - exciting times ahead!

Day 112: It's been 26 weeks since my last week off training

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28


TRAINING

HIIT - Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 12 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 12 min jogging

Stretch 25 min.


COMMENTS

Sleep - Time and Quality: ~4 hours, but very broken, waking almost on every hour. After ~30 minutes up, I closed my eyes and passed out for a further two hours.

Mood/Aggression: Now that I know why I have been feeling like this the last week, bit better, knowing what I have to do to make things right.

Energy: Have been pretty dead all day - even wanting to go back to bed or pass out at random times since getting up and after training.

Mental Focus and Clarity: Haven't had too much today - which is ok, since my laptop has crashed for the umpteenth time (a serious virus got to it - NOT cool) and it has been all day (and still going) trying to fix it and recover everything, so it's going to be out of commission for a few days (lucky that we have a desktop as well, although all MY stuff and data is on my laptop. which means that I can't do anything much without it and are going to have to redo a lot of things once it is up and running again).

Endurance: Fine.

Quality of Training: HIIT was ok. Felt myself really die after I'd finished my sprints though, pace slow afterwards.

Recovery: This week is supposed to be a "recovery" week - "recovery" compared to the two weeks before it, and so far it has been but not at the same time. My body this last week has been telling me something and I only today figured out what it was - it needs PROPER recovery time (more notes on this under "Other Notes") and so I am going to be content with the resistance sessions that I have already done this week and have the weekend completely OFF ALL training.

Body Composition and Look: 115 pounds at 9.6% bodyfat. A surprise, but not a surprise. A surprise, because I LOOK like I have lost more than 0.2% and I was so sure I had lost more, with 99% perfect training and nutrition (only one "cheat" day). Not a surprise, because the weeks where everything is 99-100% "perfect" (as I deem it), I make the LEAST progress re fat loss. Makes sense, even though it doesn't. Makes sense, because of the reasons I mentioned for it NOT being a surprise, and over the last 6-7 weeks, whenever I have done things 99-100% "perfect", I have only lose 0.2% bodyfat each of those weeks. Doesn't make sense because the better one's nutrition and on track their training, the better progress and faster results they should be making - my body seems to work in REVERSE! . . . Interestingly enough, over the last few weeks, the skinfolds in my upper body have NOT changed at all, even though my upper body girths HAVE (for example, my unflexed arm girth has decreased, whilst my flexed arm girth has INcreased), and the definition there has become more noticeable, appearing as if I have lost bodyfat there, indicating the highly likelihood of the addition of more lean muscle mass . . . I have ~3 weeks to reach at a MAXIMUM ~8% bodyfat - I know I can do this, and I WILL, because nothing higher will be acceptable! . . .

Other Notes: It hit me when I was doing my HIIT - it has been 16 weeks since I last had a week off resistance training (i.e. the last week in December), and 26 weeks since I last had a complete week off ALL training! No wonder my body is fighting me this week and appears worn out - it's time for a break (I can train for ~16 weeks before my body needs a "break"), because even my "easy" weeks lately are not really "easy" weeks. Not only that, but progress has slowed, and the last time it did that, the week after a week off resistance training I got the best progress re fat loss ever! Therefore, even though I have a photoshoot in three weeks, next week is going to be my "Week Off", with only 3-6 days of a cardio session of ~20 minutes (no more COMPLETE weeks off ALL training for me, with a week off being at LEAST three HIIT sessions of 12-20 minutes, if no more) . . . I have also noticed over the last 6-7 weeks that I have made the most progress - nutrition aside - during the weeks where I have only done ONE resistance training session on the days I have assigned weights. So, interesting. Thus, henceforth, training re resistance session will return to being done ONE only a day, and first thing . . . After next week, for a couple of weeks, I am going to follow my week-pre-competition training schedule in preparation for my photoshoot with Tony Mitchell mid-May (training changes below) . . .

25 April to 1 May:

Week OFF RESISTANCE training, cardio on 3-5 days

From 2 May:

Monday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 min + Full-Body

Tuesday: Cardio 20 min + Stretch 20-30 min + Full-Body

Wednesday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 min + Upper Body

Thursday: Cardio 20 min + Stretch 20-30 min

Friday: HIIT Cardio + Stretch 20-30 min + Shoulders/Arms/Abs

Saturday: Cardio 20 min + Stretch 20-30 min

Sunday: Day Off

Day 105: Sub-10% bodyfat - to STAY!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"If you're uncertain about where the future might lead remember this one, "When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure" - It's not what happens to you that matters. It's what you do with what happens that determines your future." - Nick Smith


TRAINING

HIIT - Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 12 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 10 min jogging

Full-Body (1 min recovery between trisets):
Triset A -
1. Stiff-Legged BB Deadlifts (BB to touch floor) 4 x 12
2. V-Bar Close-Grip Seated Rows 4 x 10-12
3. Push-Ups (feet on floor, hands on box) 4 x 10-12
Triset B -
4. DB Hammer Raises 4 x 10
5. DB Lateral Raises 4 x 10
6. Seated DB Rear Raises 4 x 10
Triset C -
7. Dips 4 x 10
8. EZ-Bar Bicep Curls 4 x 10-12
9. Alternate DB Hammer Curls 4 x 10 per side
Triset D -
10. Rope Crunches 4 x 15
11. Reverse Curls (on bench) 4 x 12
12. Bicycle 4 x 20

Post-Weights Cardio - Rollers:
20 min in 39x18 @ 100 rpm

Stretch 28 min.


COMMENTS

Mood/Aggression: Still calm. Staying strong.

Energy: Absolutely!

Endurance: Stunning!

Strength: Full-Body sessions are not about strength.

Pump: Strong - as it generally always is on Full-Body session days.

Quality of Training: HIIT was better than good - my speed endurance is definitely improving. Resistance training was a very full hour, with some grimaces and struggling, but overall well done, walking out of the gym with a smile. Rollers was just to help with recovery afterwards.

Recovery: I am not sore anywhere today

Appetite: My body is definitely an interesting specimen. I've been almost perfect with my nutrition this week (with the exception of my meal pre-bed on Wednesday) and progress has slowed. I have noticed this over the last few months, and even moreso over the last 5-6 weeks. The weeks I make the MOST progress re fat loss is when every second day (usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) are WAY higher than Maintenance and what everyone else would consider a "cheat"! Ironic. Certainly not the norm or expected, but eh, it works for me, so going to have to work with it.

Body Composition and Look: 115.6 pounds at 9.8% bodyfat. It's not the end of the week yet, I know, but I am going to start having my body composition taken on Fridays (since my competition and most photoshoots fall on a Saturday). So, finally sub-10% bodyfat - and this time I am going to STAY below it, no matter what! Over the last few days I have lost 0.2% bodyfat, 0.2 pounds (although scale weight is not so important), and surprisingly, gained 0.2 inches in my arm girths (with NO change in my arm skinfolds!)

Other Notes: I finish up my current bottle of 7-KE Topical Spray today - meaning that a bottle lasts ~4 weeks at 300mg a day. Not to worry though - I received more 7-KE and LipoBURN (I have missed the LipoBURN) today, so perfect timing.

Day 89: Passion makes a difference!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Passion is a feeling that tells you: This is the right thing to do. Nothing can stand in my way. It doesn't matter what anyone else says. This feeling is so good that it cannot be ignored." - Unknown


TRAINING

HIIT - Run:
a. 4 min jogging
b. 12 x 20 sec sprint/10 sec easy
c. 10 min jogging

Stretch 43 min.


COMMENTS

Sleep - Time and Quality: Back to my regular ~5 hours. The pain meant difficulty falling asleep though.

Mood/Aggression: Even when everything seems like it's falling to pieces one can still feel positive and uplifted.

Energy: It came out of nowhere during my HIIT, even though the deep pain from yesterday was still present.

Endurance: Great.

Quality of Training: HIIT was great. Covered the furthest ever in my four minutes pre-sprinting, which was interesting. Sprints were also done well and back up to speed, despite feeling like each one lasted forever. I was pleased with the session and may do another bout of cardio later on.

Recovery: The rollers definitely help my lower body recovery - along with the hot/cold showers.

Body Composition and Look: I noticed last night in the gym that my rear delts have come a long way re development and definition. And this morning my back was looking leaner and more defined than it has when I am leaner, even though I am the palest I have ever been in my life - the extra width and mass is evident.

Other Notes: Keeping my spirit refreshed!

Day 65: Reassessment and Change of Plan

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time." - Arnold H. Glasgow


TRAINING

HIT:
a. Treadmill @ 12.8 km/hr 1 min
b. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
c. Side-to-side Plyometric Bench Jumps 1 min
d. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
e. Deadbugs (with medicine ball) 1 min
f. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
g. Burpees (with push-up) 1 min
h. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
i. Weighted Crunches (knees at 90 degree flexion) 1 min
j. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
k. Plank 1 min
l. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
m. Side-to-side Plyometric Bench Jumps 1 min
n. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
o. Deadbugs (with medicine ball) 1 min
p. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
q. Burpees (with push-up) 1 min
r. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
s. Weighted Crunches (knees at 90 degree flexion) 1 min
t. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
u. Plank 1 min
v. Treadmill @ 14.4 km/hr 1 min
w. Treadmill @ 16 km/hr 1 min

Stretch 20 min.


COMMENTS

Sleep - Time and Quality: Was still wide awake at 0230 - sleeping schedule not getting off to the best of starts. Tomorrow I am getting up at ~0430 regardless, period, no matter what time I go to bed and sleep, because I HAVE to get back into a schedule! I do better when I am on routine.

Mood/Aggression: Feel good after training.

Energy: Definitely there.

Mental Focus and Clarity: I am focused. Reassessed everything, figured out the best plan of action.

Stress: Decreased somewhat, based on today's decisions.

Libido: High.

Joints: Left wrist clicks and cracks on and off, but there is barely any pain now.

Endurance: Fine.

Pump: In legs!

Vascularity: Blue lines just under my skin.

Quality of Training: First time back doing this kind of HIT session. Thoroughly enjoyed it. My face was bright red, like I'd been sunburnt badly at the end of it, which was a surprise, since my face hasn't been so red during training in a LONG time - in fact, it usually goes WHITE with intense training! It felt great to be pushing my body like that again!

Recovery: Yesterday I was shattered, but today I was fresh. I will probably feel the effects of today's training tomorrow if I do.

Appetite: Working on getting under control - it's been off the wall the last couple of weeks. Even Sean commented yesterday that I've been worse than usual, and for someone who calls me the "human garbage disposal" that's something, LOL (NOT laughing, though).

Body Composition and Look: 127.8 pounds at 11.6% bodyfat. So, a minimal decrease of 0.1% bodyfat. My body is still recomping, with a gain of 1.1874 pounds of lean body mass (and also 0.0126 pounds of bodyfat). Whilst a recomp is good, right now it's not really desirable.

Competition Notes: Knowing what the last couple of weeks have been like, I made the decision yesterday to be honest with myself and my ability to achieve the size I need to be in the timeframe that I have for the competition on 16 April, once I knew my body statistics re my figure today. Yes, I have gained a good amount of muscle mass in my upper body over the last eight weeks, with an extra inch in my deltoids and arms, and two inches in my back. However, for those gains, I have added a further FOUR inches to both my hips/glutes and thighs - all of which I need to LOSE. Kicker: I want to lose the extra mass and girths in my lower body withOUT sacrificing any of the muscle mass that I have gained in my UPPER body. A very hard thing to do. Hard, but not impossible. Definitely not realistic in 5-6 weeks though, since I know I can lose ~1cm a week re girths in my lower body with perfect nutrition and training, and I need to lose 11-13cm (at least, to fit into my posing suit)! The next competition I had planned for 2011 was the INBF Southwestern Natural Championships on 16 July - this is ~18 weeks away, which is a more realistic timeframe to lose the lower body mass and girths, whilst maintaining as much of the upper body muscle as I can. Therefore, I have decided to forego the April competition and make the July competition my first of the year - the longer competition preparation will ensure that I can bring in the best physique possible re leanness and size. However, this is not to say that I can be slack about getting back into a routine, or with nutrition and training - I have a photoshoot 14 April and several more throughout April and May, so I still HAVE to get lean and into shape! I am still going to do my best to get as lean as I can in the next 5-6 weeks, but if I don't lose all of the lower body size that I need to for competition before the photoshoots, it's not as big of a deal - and be better in the long term in being able to maintain the leanness that I want to.

2010: Day 51

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. You just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back." - Unknown


MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY

Daft Punk - Aerodynamic



An old song, but I love the instrumental, and sometimes it's just good to listen to something uplifting and different.


TRAINING

Ended up having today off.


COMMENTS

Sleep - Time and Quality: Probably close to ~10 hours - WTF? Passed out on the couch during a movie, and woke up at 0519, which is ideal - even earlier! - to get up, had a shower, and went to bed for a few hours.

Mood/Aggression: Pretty blah today.

Energy: I actually don't have much energy today - not like a few days ago when I couldn't stop bouncing around!

Recovery: Feel it in anterior delts a little from yesterday.

Body Composition and Look: 124.8 pounds at 11% bodyfat. I have not remained as low re body composition as I desired, but the upper body mass re shoulders and arms from the last five weeks is noticeable - as is the mass gained in my LOWER body. I am the largest I have EVER been - upper AND lower- re girths, and the lower body mass is NOT WANTED! Therefore, I am going to do my BEST to lose that lower body mass withOUT stripping the hard-earned muscle from my UPPER body! I have ~3-4% bodyfat to lose - and whilst I know that scale weight is not really important, for this competition, I will have to lose ~15-20 pounds (not something I am proud to admit, since I usually simply do NOT let myself get this big, but this is all about accountability, right), the lean mass lost mostly from food and water weight no doubt (and lower body, since I don't mind it going from there). It's time to turn my body back into the LEAN machine that it is used to being!

Other Notes: Started back on Alpha-T2 and Erase today. Also started using Shift - I will dose once pre-bed.

Competition Notes: Seven weeks to competition. Six weeks maximum to get into competition shape. Five weeks ideally to be in the shape I want to be in. Time to kick myself into HIGH gear, returning to 2-a-day training sessions 2-4 times a week, ensuring pre and post-weights cardio is completed, and ALL sessions are as INTENSE as possible!


FIT TIP OF THE DAY

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." - Henry David Thoreau

Review of Primordial Performance's EndoAmp Max

My first tub of EndoAmp Max gone . . .


What is it?



* Prevents the rise in cortisol following exercise
* Improves the testosterone to cortisol ratio
* Amplifies Testosterone and Growth Hormone production
* Promotes muscle growth, speeds recovery and reduces muscle soreness

For the product write-up, please see Primordial Performance: EndoAmp Max.


Smell: 2/10. EndoAmp Max smells like a chemical - hard to put my finger on, but almost like nail polish or varnish.

Taste: 5/10. I have gotten used to it, even though if I don't down it pretty fast, it's still nasty.

Solubility: 10/10. On shaking there was no trace of the powder and no clumps or excess was left in the water or on the bottom of the shaker.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Cortisol Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Cortisol levels from pre to post-EndoAmp Max, I did not have bloods done. I will note that my stress levels are ALWAYS HIGH.

Testosterone Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Testosterone levels from pre to post-EndoAmp Max, I did not have bloods done.

Growth Hormone Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Growth Hormone levels from pre to post-EndoAmp Max, I did not have bloods done.

Muscle Growth: 7/10. Please note that throughout my usage of EndoAmp Max, I was also using (and only recently finished) Triazole, as well as IGF-2, so any results re muscle/lean growth can be attributed to a combination off ALL those products. When I started using EndoAmp Max, I was 9% bodyfat at 111.6 pounds, and are currently 9.5% bodyfat at 115 pounds. Over that month I had a final gain of 3.4 pounds at a ratio of 2.7 to 1 increase in lean mass (+2.5 pounds) and bodyfat (+0.9 pounds) respectively, with the lean mass gains made in my shoulders.

Recovery: 5/10. The last month my training has been all over the place. My recovery has also been all over the place - great some days and other days the training from the day before taking more out of me than it should have.

Overall: N/A. The last month (and just before that) have been very UNcharacteristic of me, and I have been UNcommonly inconsistent, with my training and nutrition unusual and all over the place. NOTHING has gone as planned and everything has been readjusted and readjusted again over this period from what my goals, etc. were at the start. Because of this, I do not feel that I gave EndoAmp Max a fair trial, and therefore cannot assign it an "overall" score.

Would I use again? Yes. Because of how things have been over the last month, I feel and know that I did not really give EndoAmp Max a decent chance at showing me what it was capable of doing, and I want to do this. Besides, because my stress levels are ALWAYS HIGH and my training is usually VERY INTENSE, I need a cortisol control product as a staple.

Would I recommend? Yes. The science behind EndoAmp Max is solid, and it can be used continually, unlike most cortisol control products, making it perfect as a staple.

Day 249: Putting things in Perspective

Training

HIIT Cardio:
a. 4 min easy
b. 8 x 20 sec effort/10 sec easy
c. 8 x 60 sec effort/30 sec easy

Gym - Shoulders (30 sec recovery between alternate sets):
Alternate Set A -
1. Behind-the-Neck BB Military Press 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6
2. Lateral Raises 4 x 12
Alternate Set B -
3. BB Military Press 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6
4. Lateral Raises 4 x 12
Alternate Set C -
5. Clean and Press 4 x 12
6. Abs Superset 4 x [a. ab rollout x 8, b. ab vacuum (on knees) x 4]

Post-Weights Cardio 20 min.

Posing Practice 15 min.

Stretch 21 min.

Comments

Sleep - Time and Quality: Still on New Zealand time if I sleep.

Mood/Aggression: Mixed moods today.

Energy: A bit blah and not really feeling like doing anything, but having the energy for doing what I have to and anything else I might want to.

Mental Focus and Clarity: Living with a mind that rarely turns off can be exhausting.

Metabolism: Good.

Appetite: High - WTF???

Stress: High.

Libido: High - best make use of it to relieve a bit of stress.

Endurance: Excellent.

Strength: Good.

Pump: Great pump during both resistance session and posing practice.

Vascularity: Stronger through right side of my body than my left - interesting. Seeing more noticeable through chest, delts, and arms.

Quality of Training: HIIT was good. From now on, though, it's cool enough to do it outside - sprinting! . . . Resistance session caused some pain, with interesting clicks and pops going on, but it was nothing serious . . . Took posing practice up another level . . .

Recovery: Feel mentally drained. Physically I'm ok.

Body Composition and Look: Noticed during posing practice that from the front, my right upper traps are definitely bigger than my left (that shoulder is also lower though, because of my scoliosis, so that could be it). My left side shows more definition than my right, appearing leaner, but my right side is slightly more developed, I think.

Other Effects: Still thirsty. Not as hot, though.

Other Notes: Been keeping in touch with my family - they're all safe, thank God, after the devastation in Christchurch from the earthquake (I have a lot of family there, albeit no immediate family) . . . I have a tendency not to know when enough is ENOUGH, OVERfilling my plate - it's no wonder that my body has given up on me at least once a year for the last three years - and I have to STOP. Training, several jobs, and full-time study are starting to take a small toll on me mentally, so I've been taking some time to prioritize everything, It's hard letting go of some things, but there are times when it HAS to be done, and hopefully from now on things will be a bit more manageable . . .

Review of LG Sciences' Anadraulic State GT

What is it?



* Endurance and Energy
* Pumps and Muscle Density
* Fat Loss and Vascularity
* Testosterone Output
* Sexual Stamina and Performance
* Muscle Growth and Muscle Quality

For the product write-up see Anadraulic State GT by LG Sciences.


Smell: 7/10. An interesting smell on opening the tub, that I can't quite describe, which is nothing like the final smell once the Anadraulic State GT is mixed with water and ready to drink. Stopped noticing the smell of the powder after a while.

Taste: 9/10. Anadraulic State GT tastes what I imagine strawberry lemonade would taste like, if I ever had it. The taste grew on me, and was definitely a lot better than the taste of Anadraulic State (my last couple of tubs of Anadraulic State were nothing like the first one I used re taste and were not pleasant).

Solubility: 10/10. The powder mixed well on shaking for a few seconds.

Texture: 10/10. Like fruit juice diluted with water.

Body Composition: 9/10. Pre-Anadraulic State GT I was 117.4lb at 12.6% bodyfat. Post-Anadraulic State GT I am 118.2lb at 12.1% bodyfat. . . I LOST a total of 0.5lb of bodyfat and GAINED 1.3lb of lean body mass, with girths indicating that this gain was mostly in the form of muscle mass/DRY gains, since overall just over an inch was lost from my waist, and although little or no changes made everywhere else, my pants fit looser despite my girths having made not a lot of change . . . A definite and successful RECOMP - as opposed to the cut I was aiming for, but fat WAS lost, and I am not going to argue against making dry gains (and I am going to note here that it is definitely easier to gain muscle mass when I am >12% bodyfat, which makes sense) . . .

Fat Loss: 8/10. See comments under "Body Composition" above.

Muscle Growth and Muscle Quality: 10/10. See comments under "Body Composition" above.

Muscle Hardness and Density: 8/10. My muscles remained pretty hard throughout my use of Anadraulic State GT, which, although I was training again, was a little surprising considering that my resistance training was quite a lot LESS than what it usually would be - sessions a lot shorter, and only three of them, as opposed to 4-5 x 40-60 minute ones. Legs got noticeably harder, with lower body becoming denser.

Testosterone Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Testosterone (total and free) levels from pre to post-Anadraulic State GT, I did not have bloods done.

Growth Hormone Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Growth Hormone levels from pre to post-Anadraulic State GT, I did not have bloods done.

Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Estrogen levels from pre to post-Anadraulic State GT, I did not have bloods done.

Cortisol Levels: N/A. Although I would have liked to see the changes in my Cortisol levels from pre to post-Anadraulic State GT, I did not have bloods done. I will note that my stress levels have been even higher than usual due to circumstances.

Recovery: 8/10. My resting heart rate dropped from 40 bpm to 36 bpm over the time that I used Anadraulic State GT, so I actually got fitter over the course of my use of the product (which is a great thing) . . . My recovery from training was pretty good considering the fact that I got very little sleep (if any) over the last 28 days, not sleeping for a huge majority of it. The first couple of weeks, I suffered from DOMS, and in my lower body, which is unusual. However, for the last 10 days, DOMS from training was completely eliminated . . .

Nutrient Absorption and Utilization: 8/10. My diet did not change while I was using Anadraulic State GT. With the amount of food that I was consuming, for me to be getting LEANER and NOT being bloated, etc. the days after says to me that the nutrients were rapidly absorbed and were being used efficiently and effectively.

Libido/Sexual Stamina and Performance: 10/10. Libido was out of this world (although I attribute this predominantly to T-911, since it has that effect on me)! My body honestly was getting fatigued from the demands of my mind.

Energy: 8/10. Energy was most noticeable when training, since I often woke most days (if I woke at all and wasn't still awake from the day before) feeling completely shattered (mostly from work and other things going on in my life), and even when I didn't feel like it, or thought that I had nothing there, I got through my training sessions. Sometimes I could have even kept going.

Stimulant Effects: 10/10. No "stimulant" effects such as jitters, crash, etc. were experienced, even though Anadraulic State GT definitely aided with the energy and focus, etc. of a stimulant.

Focus: 8/10. When I was training I was focused, although I got lightheaded a lot. Just meant that I had to take a few deep breaths and concentrate more.

8/10. Endurance got better as I went along (but I was also using Drive, which plays a huge role in my endurance).

Pump: 7/10. Training was not really set up to be 'pump friendly'. However, I got bad pumps in my anterior deltoids and biceps for the most part, with them being quite painful most times. The pump on Anadraulic State GT was definitely not as good as on Anadraulic State (then again, training on the latter was definitely 'pump' material, too).

Vascularity: 7/10. Vascularity was good - although not as good as it was when I was using Anadraulic State (and I was also leaner when using the latter, which makes a difference).

Sides: 10/10. I did not experience any nausea, tummy upsets, bloating, etc. from the Anadraulic State GT, even though I used the full dosage and even went up to 2 scoops pre-training a couple of times (and I find that 2 scoops pre-training is actually my sweet spot!)

Other Effects: 10/10. Strength gains were made most weeks, with a few new RMs being made . . . Aggression really calmed down, considering how high it was on FREE TEST, which was interesting . . .

Overall: 9/10. Anadraulic State was already my favourite specific preworkout product of use, and so it was interesting comparing Anadraulic State GT to it . . . Although, the situations they were used in were different, with training completely different, making it hard to really compare them, there were a few noticeable differences. Anadraulic State was, IMO, a stronger formula than Anadraulic State GT. Anadraulic State GT tastes a lot better and is smoother re flavour than Anadraulic State. Anadraulic State dried me out more (comments from others), and made a more noticeable difference re physique - however, in saying that, I was not as lean when I started using Anadraulic State GT as I was using Anadraulic State, and only lost 0.5% bodyfat in 28 days, as opposed to the 1% bodyfat lost in 10 days on Anadraulic State(then again, a specific diet and training protocol was also followed during Anadraulic State, which makes a huge difference re results). The differences between the two products made them come out even, though, for me. Anadraulic State GT is definitely a very versatile product and has proved that it can be used for ANY body goal! . . . Both products are solid, and Anadraulic State GT still takes the place of number one specific/standalone preworkout product for me . . .

Would I use again? Yes. Although not as strong as Anadraulic State, IMO, Anadraulic State GT is still definitely a solid product, and the fact that it encompasses several products (i.e. creatine, nutrient repartitioner, Testosterone and Growth Hormone booster, and preworkout) in ONE is a definite PLUS!

Would I recommend? Yes. For anyone wanting a preworkout formula that delivers, then Anadraulic State GT is one of the most complete formulas and best options out there, IMO.