Being that I am a simple person I stick to the “go with what works” philosophy. That said, I have been trying to follow Johns meal plan from his 2nd year as much as I can since we are fairly close in composition. I have been working on my transformation now for about a month and have seen little return for my work. However, I must confess that I have not been able to stick doggedly to the diet as John had. Here is my layout.

My intro link (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=29976)

33, male. 5’6”, 197lbs. BF 27%. (I use the same Bioimpedance device John used at the beginning of his transformation.)

I use the spread sheet found on this site to track my caloric intake and breakdown. I shoot for a 40/40/20 and come very close to that each day.

Breakfast: 7am
1 Whey protein shake (8 oz soy milk)
Multi vit, Psyllium, L- Glutamine, Fish oil Omega-3
1 packet Weight Control oatmeal (160cal, 7g fiber, 6g protein)
1 coffee. Black with 1 sweet and low

Snack: ~10:30am
1 Detour bar. (160 cal, 15 grams protein)

Lunch: ~12:30-1:00pm
1 oz Almonds
1 Tuna Cup (80 cal, 18grams protein)
1 8oz can of Bush Baked Beans (280 cal, 12 protein)

Snack: ~4:30pm
1 Detour bar

Dinner:
8 oz skinless boneless chicken breast off the grill. (using some of Johns grilling ideas)
1 med potato (red skin)
1 fork worth of “yogurt” butter
1 tablespoon of fat free sour cream
Copious amounts of fresh black pepper
2 cups veggies

Last meal: ~10:30pm
8 oz Whey protein shake in Soy Milk.

Typical day looks like 1900cal, and very close to 40,40,20.

Workouts: I built a gym in my house about a moth ago. I bought the Ultimate Smith Machine II and Olympic weights. I converted a room into a dedicated gym with new floors, sound system, mirrors and a treadmill. Again, I basically looked at Johns setup and now I have something that is very close to his. My biggest hurdle has always been actually getting to the gym regularly. This has since been resolved by just bringing the gym home. So far I have only missed 1 workout. John was right, it is very hard to miss a workout when the gym is right there. Also, I find my workouts to be much higher in quality when vanity is no longer a factor. I no longer care about how goofy I look in the mirror and neither does my dog. My form has improved 10 fold. I have been hitting the weights consistantly now for about a month. Prior to that it was mostly just diet regulation. My workouts are in the evenings after my days comitments have been met.

Monday: 4 sets, 10-8 reps
Squats
Leg extensions
Leg curls
Stiff leg dead lifts
Situps

Wed: 4 Sets, 10-8 reps
Seated row (close grip)
Lat pull downs (very wide grip)
Bent over rows (Smith Machine)
Preacher Curls
Standing DB Curls

Friday: 4 Sets 10-8 reps
Flat Bench
Decline Bench
Mil Press
Standing lat flys/extensions
Pec Deck
Nose crushers
Cable Triceps pull downs

Measuments
Jul06 Nov06
Waist (relaxed) 44.5 41
Hips 43.5 43.5
Forearm 11.5 11.8
Wrist 6.5 7
Arm (Flexed) 15.5 15.5
Thigh 26.5 25.5
Calf 15.5 15.5
Chest 46 45


Obviously I have room for improvement, particularly in the diet arena. Here is the problem. I work 2 jobs and am a full time student. For example I was on call all last weekend. I got up at 6 am Friday for my hospital job and off by 5, but then was called in by my other job at 10pm for a case and did not get back home until Sunday at 8am. I always bring extra snacks like protein bars and almonds and what not, but each case keeps me in the OR of about 6-12 hours. No way to scrub out just to eat. Pack 3 cases back to back at other sides of the state, no sleep, and you get the idea. Now toss in homework, charting, ect…

I have tried to stack the deck in my favor as much as I can. I have watched my BMI drop about 2 points, and my weight go down only 3 pounds in this time. My plan was to shed the weight slowly while trying to save the muscle. I can most certainly see the changes in the mirror, but not so much in the numbers. However, I have officially doubled all of my weights in every exercise so far. I just am not seeing the gut go away…

Let the lashing begin. All advice is welcome.

I'd say do 20 reps on all your leg day sets instead of 8-10...
Then switch back to 8-10 after like 2 months.

Breakfast: 7am
1 Whey protein shake (8 oz soy milk)
Multi vit, Psyllium, L- Glutamine, Fish oil Omega-3
1 packet Weight Control oatmeal (160cal, 7g fiber, 6g protein)
1 coffee. Black with 1 sweet and low

Snack: ~10:30am
1 Detour bar. (160 cal, 15 grams protein)

Lunch: ~12:30-1:00pm
1 oz Almonds
1 Tuna Cup (80 cal, 18grams protein)
1 8oz can of Bush Baked Beans (280 cal, 12 protein)

Snack: ~4:30pm
1 Detour bar

Dinner:
8 oz skinless boneless chicken breast off the grill. (using some of Johns grilling ideas)
1 med potato (red skin)
1 fork worth of “yogurt” butter
1 tablespoon of fat free sour cream
Copious amounts of fresh black pepper
2 cups veggies

Last meal: ~10:30pm
8 oz Whey protein shake in Soy Milk.

Typical day looks like 1900cal, and very close to 40,40,20.
Calories are too low IMO.

My suggestions...

Breakfast: Drop soy milk and use water. Drop Psyllium and let's get more fiber in your diet. Drop oatmeal packets and use regular oats.

Snack 1: Drop the bar. Make a real whole-food meal, or (better yet) let's make a whole-food meal at Breakfast (just drop the shake there and instead have 1 egg and 5 egg whites and 1 grapefruit). Then use the protein powder for this snack and add almonds or peanut butter to it.

Lunch: This isn't bad. I would go for some green veggies here more often than baked beans. Broccoli, green beans, large salad, etc. I think I might also opt to do oats or brown rice here, and *POSSIBLY* pull the potato out of dinner.

Snack 1: Again I would do protein powder + healthy fats here instead of the Detour bar.

Dinner: This isn't bad at all. What kind of veggies do you normally have? Try to use ones with higher fiber. (Also see my notes on "Lunch" for swapping carb foods.)

Last Meal: Drop soy milk, use water. Add peanut butter. Add pineapple.

I'd say do 20 reps on all your leg day sets instead of 8-10...
Then switch back to 8-10 after like 2 months.

For my own edification, why? I will start this tonight since I begin my week with legs and watch the results.

1Fast GTX,

Again, why these changes? I have tried to change things around as you have pointed out, but due to scheduling conflicts I simply cannot do all the of the changes you recommended. However, where I could, I did.

Although I enjoy working out and watching the changes, I enjoy the science behind it just as much and would like to know the details involved to arrive at the workout and dietary you have both recommended.

Thank you both for your time to post and help others. Its that sort of knowledge sharing that makes things like this work.

Allen

For my own edification, why? I will start this tonight since I begin my week with legs and watch the results.
Using higher reps means lifting less weight. Using less weight reduces the risk of injury and reduces stress on joints as you begin to move away from a sedentary lifestyle.

I wish more people would focus on joint health when they begin to lose weight. Hindsight is always 20/20, and I wish someone had underscored the importance of starting more slowly to me. Fat loss is secondary to being healthy enough to carry out exercise, and many an overzealous newcomer will (and has) sabotaged his/herself by damaging joints inadvertently with too aggressive a program too early on.

It took you years to create what you're starting with, have some patience as you try to create the body you want - otherwise the journey can be dangerously frought with injuries that will plague you.

I'll let Chris reply to his suggestions, however, his clarifications are designed to provide the desired end-result using slighly more effective methods and nutrients.

-R

For my own edification, why? I will start this tonight since I begin my week with legs and watch the results.
+ anatomical adaptation
+ easier to keep good form because of less weight
+ it forces you into having a high intensity workout
+ it's been said high volume squats cause better testosterone/GH release

1Fast GTX,

Again, why these changes? I have tried to change things around as you have pointed out, but due to scheduling conflicts I simply cannot do all the of the changes you recommended. However, where I could, I did.

Ok...

Calories are too low IMO.
You don't want calories too low. Let's try to lose FAT, not just bodyweight.

Breakfast: Drop soy milk and use water.
Soy is ok once in a while (though I would prefer you use regular milk), but I would prefer water for the protein powder as this allows you to get your carbs from better sources, like the oatmeal and fruit. This one isn't really a biggie to me though; I'm not a fan of soy but if you really like it I don't think 8oz is going to be a big deal.

Drop Psyllium and let's get more fiber in your diet.
You have plenty of opportunity to rely on whole foods for your fiber intake, and I believe this is going to be more healthy and it will also help keep you from being too hungry. Eat more veggies, particularly those with more fiber. Besides, do you really like that disgusting psyllium? :)

Drop oatmeal packets and use regular oats.
Typically the packets (flavored ones anyway) are loaded with sugar. That's just not necessary in order to make oats taste good. Try raw steel cut oats, or try grinding old-fashioned oats in your blender and adding them to your protein shake. Or make some old-fashioned oats in the microwave (takes 2 minutes) and sprinkle 4 packets of Splenda on them.

Snack 1: Drop the bar. Make a real whole-food meal, or (better yet) let's make a whole-food meal at Breakfast (just drop the shake there and instead have 1 egg and 5 egg whites and 1 grapefruit). Then use the protein powder for this snack and add almonds or peanut butter to it.
I don't find Detour bars to be a good thing to eat every day. From what I recall (and I admit it's been a while since I checked their nutrition facts) they're not exactly the greatest choice in terms of cals/pro/carb/fat/sugar/etc. (Again, it's been a while, I could be wrong.)

I really would rather see you eat a whole-food breakfast, and then change this meal so that you're having your protein shake here. I think this would work best because of time constraints though. What are you doing at this time of day (at school?)? It just takes 5 minutes to add water to a shaker bottle, drink a shake, and eat a handful of almonds.

Lunch: This isn't bad. I would go for some green veggies here more often than baked beans. Broccoli, green beans, large salad, etc.
You'd have to give me more nutrition facts on the baked beans, but the ones I have had (in a can) are not exactly that great in terms of nutrition facts.

I think I might also opt to do oats or brown rice here, and *POSSIBLY* pull the potato out of dinner.
Some like to structure their diet so they eat most complex carbs in the early hours, but those last few meals contain mostly protein+fat. I don't necessarily think this is, well, necessary, but it's something I put in there as "possibly" as you may want to experiment with this.

Snack 1: Again I would do protein powder + healthy fats here instead of the Detour bar.
See above.

Dinner: This isn't bad at all. What kind of veggies do you normally have? Try to use ones with higher fiber. (Also see my notes on "Lunch" for swapping carb foods.)
Again, see above.

Last Meal: Drop soy milk, use water.
I'm just not a huge fan of soy. JMO.

Add peanut butter.
Need more fat in your diet.

Add pineapple.
Digestive enzymes, plus fruit is loaded with vitamins and I feel it would be healthy for you to have some in your diet. Your proposed diet plan listed no fruit at all.

1FastGTX,
Fat Crb Fiber Sugars Protein Cal
Bush Baked Beans 8.3oz can: 1g 29g 5g 12g 6g 280
Detour Bar 5g 17g 2g 12g 15g 170

Thanks for the detailed reply. I know it takes some time to break things down and get them into a post. Doing so for a person that you do not, and most likely will not ever meet takes some dedication. Again, thank you. To everyone.

My “snack” meals usually consist of anything that I can carry in my lab coat and scarf down in an elevator between patients. I can eat lunch while I chart in my office so that is not a big deal other than I cannot hit an exact time each day, although I do manage to eat around 11:30-1:20 each day pretty consistently.

My evening meal is tough to manage. Monday is Leg day as well as class from 6:30pm-9:20pm. I have been fairly successful in trying to get home before I head for class and eat there. If I am tied up at work and have to make a mad dash for school right from work I end up sinning at the Taco Bell drive through. If that is the case I try to crank up the intensity of that nights workout.

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday all look then same as Monday. Also I go on call on Friday nights and that has tossed a wrench into the works as well meal wise. The last two weekends I have had 3 or 4 back-to-back cases. What that means is that I am awake from Friday morning and do not get back home and into bed until sometime in the early afternoon Sunday. The meals during that time usually consist of whatever we find open at 3am. IHOP, Sheetz gas station, Truck stops ect… I do try to pack some healthy stuff for the road. Almonds, Detour, Banana, Oranges ect. The timing of these meals is not the best either. Typically you do not get food or water for 6-12 hours while you are working. It’s just not possible to do. So between poor meal choices, times, and sleep deprivation I have successful set myself up for failure. However, I firmly believe that these obstacles can and will be overcome.

So far I have missed one workout. (I had been up 54 hours and did not think it was safe. I deferred it until the next morning.) In 5 weeks I have watched my bf drop from 29% to 26.3% as of this morning while my actual body weight has gone from 199 to 194 in the same time. According to my spreadsheet while my BF has dropped I have managed to gain 1 pound of lean mass. (154lbs Lean Body Mass) Fine by me. Changes have been noticeable in the mirror. Next week I take my weekly photo and I will be curious to see the comparison.

In the end, meals and snacks must be fast. Usually something that can be carried in a pocket or laptop case. The choices are not the best, but the best under the circumstances. You guys have been doing this much longer and with much more discipline than myself, so I value your recommendations highly. Feel free to share your thoughts.

By the way I started the 4 set 20 rep legs routine last night….. ouch.
:bb:

Are you doing any cardio at all or just weight training?

Ok...


You don't want calories too low. Let's try to lose FAT, not just bodyweight.



in your opinion how much under maintenence should you go on your calories when trying to lose fat and keep muscle? this has always confused me

lets say for example that the persons maintenence calories were 2500 per day

Are you doing any cardio at all or just weight training?

At the moment I am not doing cardio. The reason is simply time. I make it a point to use the stairs only at work and allot myself 2 elevator rides per day (emergency’s are exempt from this clause.) Between stairs and all of the other walking that I do during the course of a days work I feel I am getting at least some cardio. On occasion I get a bit Froggy and go for a 2-3 mile jog on the mill.

Last night was legs and I switched to the 4 set 20 rep routine as recommended and I am feeling it today! It was a real ego killer to squat such a small amount of weight, but as was stated it really made me focus on form. I believe I will be utilizing this in my other routines as well. The joy of having the gym in the house is that I can do this without feeling like a total wimp. :o

in your opinion how much under maintenence should you go on your calories when trying to lose fat and keep muscle? this has always confused me

lets say for example that the persons maintenence calories were 2500 per day

Personally I'd only go to a deficit of about 300-400 instead of the usual 500 that is recommended but that's just me. I find the weight loss to generally be a bit slower but my lean mass tends to remain very steady.

At the moment I am not doing cardio. The reason is simply time. I make it a point to use the stairs only at work and allot myself 2 elevator rides per day (emergency’s are exempt from this clause.) Between stairs and all of the other walking that I do during the course of a days work I feel I am getting at least some cardio. On occasion I get a bit Froggy and go for a 2-3 mile jog on the mill.

Last night was legs and I switched to the 4 set 20 rep routine as recommended and I am feeling it today! It was a real ego killer to squat such a small amount of weight, but as was stated it really made me focus on form. I believe I will be utilizing this in my other routines as well. The joy of having the gym in the house is that I can do this without feeling like a total wimp. :o
Yeah the time thing really sucks, I agree with you, it seems like we never have enough hours in the day. I have been making time for cardio getting up an hour earlier and hitting that morning fasted liss. I was amazed at how refreshed I felt during the day when doing this, I really thought it would make me drag but it has had the opposite effect on me.
My goal is to get in single digit bf or close to it, (get the 6 pack and vascular look), and ive decided that im not going to get there without hard work so i have to make time for my cardio. Set a goal and attack it.
Good luck in your journey, and remember that with hard work and consistency you will reach your goal.

Personally I'd only go to a deficit of about 300-400 instead of the usual 500 that is recommended but that's just me. I find the weight loss to generally be a bit slower but my lean mass tends to remain very steady.
ok, thanks for the reply :tucool:

After the leg workout mentioned earlier I decided to change my routine a week early. I have been on this routine for 5 weeks and it has begun to get a bit boring. I am also beginning to think I may want to toss in a 4th day of training as well, but I need to find a hole in my schedule to do it.

The new program looks like this:

Leg extensions 4x20
Leg Curls 4x20
Smith Squats 4x20
Calf raises 4x20
Dead lift (SL) 4x20
Situps 100

Back
Seated row 4x15
Lat pull 4x15
Upright row 4x15
Lateral raises 4x15
Preacher Curl 4x15
Hammer Curl 4x15
Smith Shrugs 4x15

Chest/Tri
Flat Bench 4x15
Mil Press 4x15
Incline Bench 4x15
Pec Deck 4x15
Tir pulldown 4x15
Skull Crusher 4x15
Situps 100

As for the diet, I’m still dialing that one in. Detour bars are not the best I know, but they are very portable and easy to eat on the fly. Until I find something better they will have to serve the purpose. Met-Rx perhaps? I’m still looking.

Whey shakes in the morning are with water now, but I have left the evening shake with fat free milk, mostly because of the calcium component that I do not get enough of anywhere else.

Lunch now involves a trip to the cafeteria salad bar. I make a medium spinach salad with a fist full of Cauliflower, shredded carrots and a Balsamic vinaigrette dressing. This on top of my Tuna cup, 1oz almonds, and Bush Baked Beans. Still looking for a viable alternative to the baked beans.

Dinner now consists of a BBQ chicken breast, Frozen veggies and brown rice.
Like everybody here I am learning what works for my body. So far I have managed to keep the lean mass while getting rid of the fat. It has been painfully slow, but I know I am doing it right this time.

All comments welcomed.

Bad news, I think…

I followed the recommendations of some others and as of this AM my weight has gone up 2 lbs, and my BF went up 1.3%. I use a bio impedance device that I know is touchy when it comes to how hydrated you are, but my measurements have gone consistently up over the last week. I focus on trend more than on a single reading.

The variables that have changed have been diet and exercises. More specifically, reps.
I have begun eating medium Spinach salads with lunch with extra broccoli and cauliflower. Dressings are usually Balsamic Vinaigrette or a light ranch depending on what they have out that day. I have removed the potato from my dinner and added more Veggies. By my spreadsheet I have upped my caloric intake about 200cal to an average of between 1900 and 2100cal per day. However, I have to estimate on the calories for the salad at work.

I have changes all of my exercises to 4 sets of 20 reps for legs, and 4 x 15 for everything else. The workouts are most certainly more intense. I feel sore the next morning every time. I may begin to add cardio to the mix to burn off more calories.

John had lost over 20lbs in the first 30 days of his transformation. As of now I have lost 6lbs and 3% BF. Most definitely not the numbers I had been hoping for. Tomorrow I measure and photograph. Perhaps that will tell another story. <sigh>
:bang:

any cheat meals you forgot to mention?
did you binge on anything?
are you really measuring your food? or just guestimating?


If you actually did everything what you said, i dont think it's possible to put on fat.... unless maybe you were eating only like 1400 calories before (and not realized it), and then switched up to 2000 right away.

Why are you doing all leg exercises with 20 reps and 15 reps for everything else?

I have no problem with doing so for perhaps one exercise per muscle group in a split or one workout of the week if it's a 3x/week full body, but if you're doing a split as it seems you are, I would definitely get into the 6-12 rep range for some exercises, and depending on your experience with the weights, maybe even the 3-6 rep range as well.

Also, you mentioned you might begin to "add in cardio". Why aren't you doing any now? I'm not in the camp that believes you must do cardio, but I certainly find it helps to a great degree for many people, at least a couple times per week.

If I were you, and I'm not so it's your call, I'd do a full body workout 3x/week and cardio 2-3x/week on your non-lifting days.

Eating 1900-2100 calories at your size should not cause you to gain fat unless you have an extremely slow metabolism.

any cheat meals you forgot to mention?
did you binge on anything?
are you really measuring your food? or just guestimating?


If you actually did everything what you said, i dont think it's possible to put on fat.... unless maybe you were eating only like 1400 calories before (and not realized it), and then switched up to 2000 right away.

That was my thought as well. Looking over the past week I know that I guesstimated several meals, but they were all on the same day. That was Thanksgiving at the in-laws house. I stuck with the lean stuff. Turkey without skin, eggs, no stuffing. There were some transgressions such as a bowel of ice cream….or two. But again, these were all one day. I knew I would see it on the scales, but not to this degree. Rather discouraging.

The other revelation was that I had over estimated some of my regular foods. I had been eating ½ oz of Almonds at lunch each day, but had tallied it as a full oz. I had done the same thing with my chicken in the evenings. I had logged 8oz when in fact it was closer to 5-6. Its time to go back and remeasure some of my core foods. From what I see so far I have been eating less than I have logged, but not by a whole lot. Time to recalibrate the ole eyeball. When I first noticed the gain I went back to measuring everything each meal.

Under the circumstances I try to focus on the positives. My cloths most certainly fit better. I look better in the mirror. I definitely feel better. And all of my weights have doubled.

Just need to dial in that elusive diet!

That was my thought as well. Looking over the past week I know that I guesstimated several meals, but they were all on the same day. That was Thanksgiving at the in-laws house. I stuck with the lean stuff. Turkey without skin, eggs, no stuffing. There were some transgressions such as a bowel of ice cream….or two. But again, these were all one day. I knew I would see it on the scales, but not to this degree. Rather discouraging.

The other revelation was that I had over estimated some of my regular foods. I had been eating ½ oz of Almonds at lunch each day, but had tallied it as a full oz. I had done the same thing with my chicken in the evenings. I had logged 8oz when in fact it was closer to 5-6. Its time to go back and remeasure some of my core foods. From what I see so far I have been eating less than I have logged, but not by a whole lot. Time to recalibrate the ole eyeball. When I first noticed the gain I went back to measuring everything each meal.

Under the circumstances I try to focus on the positives. My cloths most certainly fit better. I look better in the mirror. I definitely feel better. And all of my weights have doubled.

Just need to dial in that elusive diet!
it was thanksgiving... of course you're going to weigh more even if you try to watch what you eat.
You dont know what's in alot of that food.

Give it a couple more weeks so you have more data to to make a decision.


you need to remember this is a very long journey.... you'll be battling fat gain for the rest of your life.
Dont worry about 1 week, and dont compare yourself to john.
I did too at first, so i understand where you're coming from.


Also, dont listen to karatetricker on the reps for your legs.
Keep doing it like this for 2-3 months, and then you can switch to lower reps, heavier weight.

Did your salt intake climb?

I'm not as knowledgeable about nutrition as most of the members here, but this seems like it could be a good replacement for the Detour bars:
Make your own protein bars (http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=139)

Sodium is the one thing that the excel spreadsheet does not track and I wish it did. Sodium intake would have certainly increased, but I could not begin to estimate by how much. Initially I had factored this into my reasons for why I may have gone up and I suspect plays a very significant role here. Time will tell as my water intake flushes the excess Na out of my tissues. Tonight is Back and Bi night and I know I will sweat buckets. I may toss in a couple miles on the mill for good measure.

The protein bar issue has been gone over already. A quick recap is that I need “meals/snacks” that I can carry in my lab coat and eat as I walk from patient to patient. Meals are a tough thing for me to coordinate. Click my intro link at the start of this thread and you will see why.

I most whole-heartedly agree that this is a lifestyle change. For me I am walking a fine line between what is optimal, and what is practical. Ronnie Coleman style meals while obviously optimal, for me they simply are not practical. Nor are they for Ronnie either as he himself admits that he can’t wait to get off of them during his off-season. Olympic level athletes also abandon their diets during non-training periods for something more “practical”. That’s the one I am looking for. The trade off of course is that you will not live with a chiseled body, but a healthy one no less. Honestly the body John is sporting right now at 13% bf is more than I aspire to attain. Naturally I wish to look good, but ultimately I just want to be healthy and do so on a diet that one could live with for years, not for “bulk or cut” periods.

My hat is off to all of you who have the self discipline to do so. You are a rare breed and a pleasure to work with.

I use www.calorie-count.com. It's not perfect but it's fairly painless. Easy enough to track calories,fat/carb/protein, fibre and sodium.

My lifestyle is one in which I exercise daily (most of the time twice) and eat very healthy/clean, and keep a ripped physique. Being that my business essentially requires me to be in that kind of shape, I have no choice, but I most certainly enjoy it. :) It's great when you are out/about with your family at an amusement park and you feel like as much of an attraction as the rides there. That makes it all worth it even more. :tu:

~SC~

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope it was a memorable time for all. Like many others I have re-dedicated myself to my workout and ultimate fitness goals. For myself it was a renewed dedication to cleaning up my diet. So far, so good. My goal is to take my reentry physical for the military in April. For that I need to drop 20lbs. Very attainable given the time allotted.

Next week I will have finished my current workout and will need to begin a new one. With the new workout I plan on incorporating 15 minute cardio sessions as well as more abdominal work.

For diet I have recruited a friend of mine who works at the hospital with me who is a registered dietician to look over my food logs. We will sit down tomorrow morning to review those.

The new workout will need to fit into my schedule. That schedule was finalized this morning and it is a bear!
Monday: 0800-1700 work
1730-2100 Class
2145 home to study
Tuesday: 0800-1700 work
1830-2200 Class
2245 Home to study
Wednesday: 0800-1700 Work
1800-0600 next morning, Fire Department.
Thursday: 0800-1700 Work
1800-2100 Class
2145 Home to study
Friday: 0800-1700 Work
1600Fri-1800Sun On call

I am still planning the actual workout. I’m planning around a 4 set 10-12 rep program with cardio on the off days. I’ll post it once I have it figured out.

Wh0,
Thanks for the tip on the 20-rep leg routine. I have doubled my weight it every lift so far. My measurements revealed that the program worked. Any shortcomings were my own fault having strayed from my diet on several occasions. The good news is that I only missed one workout the entire time due to being rather ill. 07’ will be different.

~SC~,
You have my utmost respect. You look great and more importantly; you have found a way to turn your hobby into an occupation. Few in this world are able to do that. Congratulations and best of luck in the future.

Allen :bb: