It's almost been a week! How's everyone holding up? Hopefully noticing improvement in sleep, less cravings for junk, and an all around feeling of awesomeness! It's Friday, which can be tough for some. The week is over, time to relax, have a few drinks....just say no. You've only got 16 more days to tough it out, and you can do it. Drink some Pelligrino, put some lemon in it, and use your imagination! I will be traveling to Ames, Iowa this weekend where there is all sorts of temptation to do non-21DSD things, but I've got confidence and lunchbox full of almonds and coconut. Carpe Diem.
Today's workout was my second favorite: back day! I'm working on being built like a trapezoid. I've been mindful eating for a while, something like two years, so I know what my body needs and when it needs it. On lifting days where I focus on biceps, triceps, and shoulders, I don't require extra calories or carbohydrates because really, those lifts don't tax me too much. However, on back days and leg days, the only thing I want to do is eat. Mind you, I stop eating when I'm full, but if it's not a perfect two hours from when I last ate, I don't care. Let food be thy medicine, ya know?
For breakfast I had an organic, free range egg with 3 oz of turkey, some spinach that I wilted in coconut oil, and a green pepper. I really hate green peppers, but those bitches were on sale!
Lunch I had a fat bomb: 1 whole avocado with shredded, organic coconut on top, sprinkled with grass fed whey powder. Yes, I know. Whey is dairy, get over it. Then I had some chicken because my muscles were still hungry.
The workout today was as follows (all sets are 3X Fail, increase start weight each set)
Lat Pull Down
Seated Rows
Bent Over Rows
T Bar Rows
Single arm cable rows
Straight arm Pulldown
Can I just say, if you're not doing T-bar rows, your life isn't complete. On to the second part of the title.
I was reading a Facebook fan page that I'm no longer allowed to comment on (long story), and it was talking about women bringing in their abs. There were literally over four hundred comments from women striving for chiseled abs. I used to be one of these women. As I said a couple of days ago, who doesn't want the "perfect" body? Here's why I've decided I would rather be sturdy than chiseled.
Form follows function. We hear and say that all of the time (in the lifting world anyway). Having a shredded six pack, while aesthetically pleasing, means that your body fat is incredibly low. Awesome for you, awful for performance. Physique competitors bring in their abs by almost starving themselves, depleting carbs and water, and losing a lot of strength. I know because I used to do this.
Since I put on weight, my lifting capacity has more than doubled for almost all of my lifts. Sure, I'm not quite used to the fact that my size 0's no longer go over my quads, let alone my calves, but I think it's for the better. My squat weight has increased almost 100 pounds, and I can't say that makes me sad. Instead of worrying about how "cut" or "jacked" I look, I'd much rather be able to lift heavy things. That being said, if a six pack is your thing, go for it.
I think this article sums it up best. I'm a huge fan of this page, and this guy ( Paul Nobles) knows his stuff. Poke around on his page!
http://eattoperform.com/2013/03/01/why-athletes-shouldnt-aspire-to-be-shredded/
Have a great weekend, and stay strong!
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