2012-09-12 Check in [212.0 @ 35.875]

Mass:  212.0 (-0.6)

Waist:  35.125 (-0.125)

Arm:  16.625 (--)

Thigh:  25.0 (--)

Calf:  15.125 (--)

First week on my custom body-building routine.  It seemed to have gone rather well over all.  The only day I had to skimp on was legs on Thursday - I was too hungry/tired/low on energy.  Meh.  But I am enjoying the routine, and it definitely is a major change from 5/3/1 BBB.

My measurements are fine.  I'd rather hold a little steady than gain fat too fast.

2012-09-14 Check in [212.6 @ 36.0]

Mass:  212.6 (+4.6)
Waist:  36.0 (--)
Arm:  16.625 (+0.125)
Thigh:  25.0 (--)
Calf:  15.125 (--)

Not quite sure how I gained 4.6# this week, but I'll accept it, as it came with no gain in waist size.  Probably water retention for the most part.  Very likely I will be lower next week, but that is ok.  Weekly spike up & down are acceptable, provided the overall trend is more mass without a larger waist.

Only one more cycle of Boring But Big.  Which is good, as I am losing enthusiasm for the program.  Next up:  a more traditional body building split.  I have yet to work out the details, but it will probably be a four day rotation (legs, chest, back, shoulders), but with some direct arm work every day.  The high frequency back work I am doing currently seems to be very effective (rows, chins, or deadlifts every lifting day), so I figure that if I try the same frequency for my arms it might help them.

After my bodybuilding cycle (12 weeks or so), I will begin the slow process of leaning out over a 6-month period or so.  Diet will probably be more Shelby-traditional carb cycling.  Lifting will start with something like the Triumverate (same basic set up as Boring But Big, but more strength than hypertrophy focused).

2012-09-12 Check in [208.0 @ 36.0]

Mass:  208.0 (-2.8)
Waist:  36.0 (-0.625)
Arm:  16.5 (-0.125)
Thigh:  25.0 (--)
calf:  15.125 (--)

Well, I have erased the damage from the CO trip.  Next I am out there (in three weeks) I will have to be a bit more restrained.  *wry grin*  The results are also considering I had carbs a few times (including some pizza), rather than being purely low-carb all week.  Seems to work well.

So, back to carb back loading, but a bit more restrained.  Rather than force-feeding myself, I will just have my carby-meal after lifting, and then possibly another protein meal after that.  Rather than over-eating carbs for a few hours straight.

I am going to try to get at least 400g of carbs in post-workout.  Mostly clean.  But again, these will all be in my post-workout meal, hopefully within an hour or so of lifting.

Other thoughts - I am switching the order of my lifting days.  Currently it is OHP, Deadlift, off, Bench, Squat, off.  I am going to change it to deadlift, OHP, off, squat, bench, off.  Reason?  The day after squats or deadlifts I am ravenous.  I'd rather have the additional food/carbs available then, rather than having an off (low carb) day.

2012-08-24 Check in [215.7 @ 36.625] - Go to CO

Mass:  215.7 (+6.8)
Waist:  36.625 (+0.5)
Arm:  16.5 (--)
Thigh:  25.0 (--)
Calf:  15.25 (+0.125)

I did not control what I ate post-workout this week.  I actually over-ate (force fed myself).  My waist & mass explosion attest to that.  Need to fix that.  However, the next five days I will be in CO, so my diet will suffer

2012-09-01 Check in [210.8 @ 36.625] - Start Low-Carb

Mass:  210.8 (-4.9)
Waist:  36.625 (--)
Arm:  16.625 (+0.125)
Thigh:  25.0 (--)
Calf:  15.25 (--)

Annoying results, but not hideously unexpected.
1.  From Saturday - Wednesday, my diet was absolute shite.  I went out to CO (red-eyes both ways), and over ate a lot of junk.  I also did no exercise
2.  Thursday & Friday I did low carb (none on Thursday, about 60g post-workout on Friday), so I have probably lost some water weight already.  Thus the mass loss without waist change.

This coming week I will continue the low-carb routine, basically running the CBL prep phase again.  Hopefully I will be able to get my waist back to a reasonable size over the next week, and then resume more controlled back-loading.

Longer-term thoughts:

Lifting
1.  Finish off the Boring But Big challenge (1.5 cycles remaining)
2.  Go to a 2-on/1-off cycle for lifting days.  The 3:1 was killing me.  If I need to, I will drop to a set 4 days per week
3.  I will probably switch to a more varied high rep routine

Diet
1.  Remain on CBL for the BBB challenge.  However, go back to Shelby-style eating (clean food, measure quantities post-workout)
2.  Whether I stay on CBL or go on a carb-cycling routine will depend upon:
  A) my overall CBL results
  B) how I feel about it (energy levels, overall well-being, etc)