20lbs and spectacularness

Ok, concluding our last blog about weight loss and being spectacular...

Last time we covered what Robb Wolf said about fat loss.  Basically: Eat meat and veggies and limit your fruit intake.  According to Robb, if you do this for 30 days you will see fat loss.  I concur!

This past winter Michael and I went on a "Bro-mantic" weight lifting adventure.  It was fun.  i added 55lbs to my deadlift, 45lbs to my bench press and 50lbs to my back squat in a few months.  What we did was was working, so we stuck with it.  To handle this type of strength program... I needed to increase overall body mass.  Simply put, to get stronger I upped my calories.  Well, I upped everything.  An example of one meal I had during this strength adventure was this guy:  One Large Papa Johns Pizza and half gallon of organic milk.  This is only one example of some truly epic food battles I had during this strength program.  You might think this is crazy, unhealthy, dumb, etc... and you'd be right.  It's probably not the most healthy way to eat but  I'd been dieting for a while trying to lose body fat for a triathlon and I was tired of eating like a rabbit.  Plus, i've read all over the place from people way smarter than I am that to gain weight and strength in rapid amounts you MUST increase your caloric intake.  I might have went over board... but hey, can't hate a guy for trying.  If you are interested in weight gain make sure you google: milk and squats, GOMAD diet, 70's big, these will steer you in the right direction.

Now, you can only imagine what happened to my body composition and weight numbers after this diet and strength program.  The morning of the triathlon I weighed 182lbs.  The morning I decided to stop the "BIG" program I weighed 203lbs.  I gained 21lbs and added strength buuuuuuttt  frankly I was a little chubby.  This new found chubbiness sorta made my skin crawl and I wanted to get it off and lose a few lbs before summer started got here.  I mean lets get real, no one wants to see a hungry manatee walking around poolside... its down right scary.  So, what'd I do?  I did exactly what Mr. Robb Wolf said to do.  I started eating eggs and bacon in the morning, a mid morning snack that was mostly some type of protein, a lunch from Caliente Grill most of the time, or a meat and veggie combo, another snack, usually a protein bar, and dinner consisting of steak, chicken, pork, fish, veggies, water.  Cutting to the chase: So far I have lost 13lbs and to be quite honest it has been very hard!  I haven't been as motivated as I would like, I find that I have cravings that I succumb to ALL THE TIME, and really, I've been lazy and making excuses.  Since January I have averaged less than 1lb of weight loss per week, not to great.  So I'll have to get back to you on losing 20lbs but I can promise you I 'll get there.  Oh and by no means is this a failure.  I've lost 13lbs and I'm happy about it! 

-What about workouts?  I follow exactly the type of workouts I prescribe at the gym.  They are short and intense.  I also add at least one interval style cardio session a week, like riding my bike for an hour every Sunday and sometimes on Saturdays.  I listen to my body and if it wants to go, I go.  If I feel horrible I rest and think about eating pizza and drinking a half gallon of milk...  Spectacular will be saved for next time...