Reverse dieting and maintenance

I've been struggling to continue to keep my calories in the diet range.  A couple days ago I changed my goal on Avatar nutrition to a reverse diet. I'll reverse diet for three months, then maintain for three months. After that my metabolism should have recovered and I'll be able to start dieting again to get down to my dream weight.

Ready to maintain

I've been dieting non-stop for just shy of 9 months. I'm getting burned out. I'm ready to eat normal. I think I'm going to change my diet goals. Instead of getting down to 230, I'm going to just get down to 240. I'm at 262 right now. Losing 22lbs is manageable. With how burned out I am 22lbs won't be easy. But it's manageable. First I'll get to 240, reverse diet, then maintain for awhile. At least that's my plan for now. I tend to leap before I look. l change goals a lot. I'm impulsive. And annoying. I even annoy myself. So that's my plan for now. But knowing me it'll probably change.

Fixing powerlifting imbalances with a good coach

My powerlifting coach is awesome. I know I post about how wonderful he is all the time. Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse here. But he is by far and away the best coach ive had in any sport I've ever competed in. Coach Vernon told me he's programming a lot more back and lat work on my next block of training. He said my bench and chest is getting stronger quicker than my back is. He's wanting to make sure my body stays balanced and I don't end up having injury problems later. I never would have realized there was an imbalance going on the way he did. I can't count the times he's seen something that's made him adjuste my programming. I'm lucky to have him coaching me. I feel the sky's the limit with him in my corner.

More diet knowledge

I've figured out another way to decrease my flexible dieting calories. I drink a lot of coffee throughout the work day. I drink it when I get sleepy or bored. I put heavy cream in my coffee. Heavy cream has a lot of calories. I've started chewing sugar free gum when I get bored instead of drinking more coffee. That's decreased my calorie intake a lot. It helped me loose a bit more weight this week than I have been recently. I weighed in at 262.2lbs this morning. I've lost 84lbs, 32 more to go until I hit my goal. It's finally feeling like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I've been dieting for 8 months. I'm looking forward to hitting my goal so I can increase my calories to a maintenance level. That'd be a about 1200-1300 calories a day more.

My son and weightlifiting

Before the NM youth and master's weightlifting meet my former coach Joaquin Chaves of High Dessert weightlifting club called me up and asked if I needed him to warm me up, count attempts, and keep track of competition in my weight class and age group. He hasn't trained me as one of his athletes in over two years. There was no reason for him to do that for me. I was so touched.

On a side note my wife has been stressed out driving my son, Cody James to and from weightlifting practice with Coach Vernon Smith on Tuesdays. And now my daughter's volleyball practice is also on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It has gotten to much for her to handle. My wife asked me to pull Cody James out of weightlifting. Instead I called up Joaquin Chaves and asked him if he could take my son at High Dessert Athletic club. Coach Joaquin said yes. I'll be taking him to Joaquin Chaves on Monday's and Wednesday's. My mother-in-law will be taking him on Fridays. On one hand I'm excited that my son will be training three days a week with such an amazing man to guide my son in both weightlifting and life. But in the other hand this kinda sucks because his former coach, Vernon Smith was great with my son. I love Vernon. I think so much of him. Vernon been my powerlifting coach since I started powerlifting in October.

 My son starts HDAC on May 28th.

Learning diet and nutrition for a lifetime

I used to be a complete train wreck in regards to eating. And my shitty eating hurt my weight, my health, my fitness, my confidence, and my relationships. My entire life really. I've tried all sorts of things to improve my diet and get to a healthy body weight. Some things worked, some things didn't. As I tried new things I learned. Sometimes I didn't even realize I had learned something. I just thought I had failed. I think I've finally figured out what works and is sustainable for me and my personality. I have a calorie and protein goal for the day, and the week.  i count my calories and my protein daily. And I make sure to hit with in %10 of my goal calorie and goal protein. The newest lesson I learned was to start counting my calories and protein on Saturday. I usually do perfectly on my nutrition during the week. I usually make mistakes on the weekend. And now if I screw my calories up on a weekend I can adjust my calories the rest of the week to still hit the goal for the week.

Life is an adventure. And I'm trying to stay flexible, learn new things, and continue to grow.

I don't like CrossFit, but....

I'm a big guy. 265lbs, down from 346. I do relatively well at weightlifiting and powerlifting meets. One would think I'd also do well at CrossFit. They have all the lifts in CrossFit that I do in the strength sports. But I suck at CrossFit. This morning we did a WOD of powercleans, front squats, and push press. Those are all movements I can do a lot of weight with one time. But when I have to do that many reps I fall apart. I had to do the workout with only 135lbs instead of the perscribed 185. Someone I occasionally work out with looked over at me and said, "huh, that's surprising." That pissed me off. Yes, I suck at CrossFit and I have no endurance, or muscular endurance. But danm it I'm still in here putting in the work and trying hard. I can't say I like CrossFit. But I know it's good for me and I love the comunity- except for this morning. But you know what? Fuck 'em. That's all I gotta say. I'm the best me I can be. And I'm not quitting. Because I want to be an even better me. And I will be. I know crossfit works. It's helped me drastically change my physique, lifestyle, and health. I don't enjoy training crossfit, but I love the sport. I'd like to eventually get a CrossFit coaching cert so I could help others make the lifestyle changes I have.

Today's wod at 185lbs.
9 powercleans
9 front squats
9 push press
27 ab mat sit-ups
6 powercleans
6 front squats
6 push press
18 ab mat sit ups
3 powercleans
3 front squats
3 push press
9 ab Matt sit ups

The 2018 youth and master's championships report

On Saturday I competed in the Youth and Master's New Mexico state championships. I set a meet best and state record snatch of 100k. I've been chasing 100k since 2013. 5 flipping years! I finally got that son-of-a-gun. Such a wonderful day.

My son set state records in the snatchs clean and jerkj and total. He also qualified for the American Open Series and the youth national championships! After less than a year of training he has qualified for as many national championships as I have in a half decade of training and competing☺ At only ten years of age he's better than me. And I couldn't be happier about it.

 And pictured below are two of my Bear Canyon CrossFit team mates who spent the whole day warming me up and coaching me. I couldn't be more greatfull.

First extra credit workout

On Tuesday I did both the strength session and the MetCon (metabolic conditioning, or cardio). I felt great. Fast and efficient. Having lost 80lbs is unbelievably important in CrossFit. Being light for CrossFit is, in my opinion, as important as being in shape. Usually after a hard CrossFit workout I'm so tired I'm worthless for a few hours. But this time I felt pretty good still. So for the first time ever I also completed the extra credit workout after the two normal workouts. AND, I was able to do it RX. That was only the 2nd CrossFit workout I've ever do e RX'd. It was:
3 rounds of
10 DB snatches left hand with 50lbs
10 DB snatches right hand with 50lbs
20 box jump overs

It took me 7:36. Not a great time. But just a few months ago I had to do step ups. Now I can actually jump up on to the box.

Hydrostatic body fat test for Powerlifting at UNM

I got my body fat tested today at the UNM Exercise physiology department. There was great news and bad news. I'm much leaner than I thought I was. I'm at 23.6% body fat. I used to have over 160lbs of fat. Now I only have 56.5lbs of fat. The most lean mass I'd ever had was 187lbs. I'm over 200lbs of lean mass now. And I've only been powerlifting and doing CrossFit for 7 months. So things will only get better from here. The bad news is I look like a still have a much bigger belly than I should for being 23% body fat. It's loose skin. It'll probably never go away. I'll always look like I have a pot belly. That's the consequence of getting to be obese like I did. All I can do is be the best me I can be. And if that means walking around healthy and lean, but still have what looks like a gut. Then I'll walk arounf like the stringess, most confident dude with a gut ever.

May 2018: 265.1lbs @ 23% body fat. 202.5lbs lean mass. 62.5lbs fat.

March 2015: 288.4 pounds @ 35.2% body fat. 187 pounds lean mass. 101.5 pounds fat.

Nov 2013: 274.7 pounds @ 34.52% body fat. 179.9 pounds lean mass.  95.8 pounds fat.

April 2013: 229.7 pounds @ 23.12% body fat.  176.6 pounds lean mass. 53.1 pounds fat.

Feb 12 2013: 241.1 pounds @ 28.14% body fat. 173.3 pounds lean mass. 67.8 pounds fat.

Oct 2011: 181 pounds @ 6.86% body fat. 169.3 pounds lean mass. 12.5 pounds fat.

June 2011: 188.4 pounds @ 10.9%. 169.4 pounds lean mass. 19 pounds fat.

Nov 2010: 222.2 pounds at 19.01% body fat. 180 pounds lean mass. 42.2 pounds fat.

July 2010: 189 pounds at 9.81% body fat. 170.6 pounds lean mass. 18.5 pounds fat.

First hydrostatic body fat test in years

I decided I'm going to get my hydrostatic body fat tested at the UNM Exercise Physiology Department. My appointment is for tomorrow morning. Here are some of my previous results: 

March 2015: 288.4 pounds @ 35.2% body fat. 187 pounds lean mass. 101.5 pounds fat.

Nov 2013: 274.7 pounds @ 34.52% body fat. 179.9 pounds lean mass.  95.8 pounds fat.

April 2013: 229.7 pounds @ 23.12% body fat.  176.6 pounds lean mass. 53.1 pounds fat.

Feb 12 2013: 241.1 pounds @ 28.14% body fat. 173.3 pounds lean mass. 67.8 pounds fat.

Oct 2011: 181 pounds @ 6.86% body fat. 169.3 pounds lean mass. 12.5 pounds fat.

June 2011: 188.4 pounds @ 10.9%. 169.4 pounds lean mass. 19 pounds fat.

Nov 2010: 222.2 pounds at 19.01% body fat. 180 pounds lean mass. 42.2 pounds fat.

July 2010: 189 pounds at 9.81% body fat. 170.6 pounds lean mass. 18.5 pounds fat.

CrossFit triathlon, diet, and my Box

Last year I watched my buddy compete in the 4th annual Hellbox CrossFit triathlon. At the time I weighed in at 346lbs. I wanted to do that triathlon so bad. That's what got me back into CrossFit and eating right. I'm down to 265lbs. I've lost 81lbs preparing for that race so far. If I continue to lose the same rate as I have been I'll be down to approximately 230lbs by then. I will have lost 116lbs. They've renamed the race Enchant-Fit CrossFit triathlon.

This week my Powerlifting coach Vernon Smith is having me do a recovery week. Light weights and low volume. He also requested I don't do any crossfit workouts. All week I've been close to eating bad food and a lot of it. The only thing I've ever found that helps me stay on the diet wagon is crossfit. I'm not exactly sure why. But going to CrossFit keeps me motivated and on track diet wise. My calves were cramping horribly on all three of the runs. My body was freaking the heck out. Which is exactly why coach told to take some time off to recover. But ever since doing that workout i haven't been tempted to binge eat. I think doing that CF workout was the right thing. Perhaps not the best thing for my recovery. But it helped control my desire to over eat.

CrossFit. I don't always like it. I'm not built for it. But it's damn good for me. And I really love the people in my box.

On a side note. I failed the USPA referee test I took last week.