Hi H&F

Starting Stats:
Age: 26
Height: 5'10"
Weight: ~210-215 lbs
Bodyfat: ~25% visual check (considering ordering a bf caliper and tracking this every week)

I played several sports in high school and lifted weights for each sport, until I was diagnosed with a rare heart condition which ended my athletics career abruptly. I graduated from university in May 2010 and lost my ability to lift at that gym, so I haven't lifted or really completed any exercise since then. I recently got an entry-level job in my field for a company in Panama City, FL, which is an amazing change from Illinois. This job is a standard office desk job in a little cubicle, but it's a full-time job which is a nice change of pace. Also, I live less than a mile from the beach, so having a nice "beach body" is a source of WIM for me.

Programming:
I've been training using modified SS programming for just over a month. The only real change I've made is instead of training three days per week with one day off in between each lifting day, I just lift every other day. I also have never done power cleans, so I went with the alternate workouts in that guide I linked.

I didn't start tracking my progress from day 1, but I did decide to start tracking my progress using a google docs spreadsheet, but I need to hold myself accountable for staying on track and completing every workout. Here is what I have thus far:

Workout Log	Activity	Effort	Performance
2/21/2011	Squat	245x5x5x4	Slow pace/missed rep
	Dead	185x5, 155x4x3	Check Form
	Bench	145x5x4, 135x5	Slow pace/missed rep
2/22/2011	Bike	30m, 120bpm
	Yoga	1hr	Intense workout
2/23/2011	Bike	50m, 120bpm
2/24/2011	Squat	250x3x5
	Press	105x5x5, 95x5
	Row	135x5x5x3
	Absx1		Each set to exhaustion
2/25/2011	Bike	45m, 120bpm
2/26/2011	Squat	255x5x3
	Bench	145x5x5x4
	Dead	185x5
	Absx1	35x8 Ab pulldowns	Each set to exhaustion
2/27/2011	None
2/28/2011	Squat	260x5x3
	Press	100x5x5x4	Core not solid
	Row	140x5x3
	Absx1	42.5x8 Ab pulldowns	Each set to exhaustion
3/1/2011	Bike	20m, 115 bpm
3/2/2011	Squat	265x5x3
	Bench	150x5x3
	Dead	200x5x1
	Absx1	42.5x8 Ab pulldowns	Each set to exhaustion
3/3/2011	None
3/4/2011	Squat	265x5x3
	Press	105x4, 95x5x5
	Row	145x5x3
	Absx1	42.5x8 Ab pulldowns	Each set to exhaustion
	Dips	7,5
3/5/2011	None
3/6/2011	Squat	270x5x3
	Bench	155x5x3
	Dead	225x5x1
	Absx1	50x8 AP	Each set to exhaustion
	Pullups	2
3/7/2011	None
3/8/3011	Squat	275x5,225x5x2
	Press	100x5x3
	Row	145x5x3
	Absx1	50x8 AP	Each set to exhaustion
	Dips	8,5

Nutrition:
I felt I was a little too tubby to start off, so I decided to cut some weight to begin with until I got to within 10 lbs of my target weight and then start eating at a maintenance and start lifting heavier weights. I've read quite a bit of Lyle McDonald's articles, so I think I have grasped some of the basic concepts that I need to understand to be successful I started tracking my calories on Fitday before I began tracking my workout progress and here is a table with some general information regarding my diet:

Date	Calories	Protein	Fat	Carbs	Weight
2/14/2011	2101	176.9	67.6	97	209.5
2/15/2011	1700	167.9	24.1	147.7
2/16/2011	1937	168.9	95.4	101.3
2/17/2011	1410	159.3	38	104.9
2/18/2011	1278	128.7	59.1	56.9
2/19/2011	2180	123	46	122
2/20/2011	2182	113.3	49.1	126.5
2/21/2011	2632	206.5	67	181.9
2/22/2011	1613	173.9	46.7	123.2
2/23/2011	2188	213.4	98.3	108.4
2/24/2011	1677	221.6	53.1	65.8
2/25/2011	2344	300.9	128.3	75.9	206.4
2/26/2011	2308	180.7	47.4	169.3	204
2/27/2011	2357	189.4	80.4	26.5	203
2/28/2011	2520	289.1	111.6	77	200.6
3/1/2011	1794	227	71.3	72.1	203
3/2/2011	2029	227	93.3	68.3
3/3/2011	1740	179.1	69.7	97.7
3/4/2011	1778	223.5	65.3	82	204.6
3/5/2011	1696	156.8	58.4	54.2	203.4
3/6/2011	1477	165.6	82.1	17.5
3/7/2011	1560	172	50	1113	203.4
3/8/2011	1942	215.8	75.3	102.4	202.4
3/9/2011	1490	217.4	25.8	106.1	201.4

Goals:
1) Become stronger which is a goal that needs to be quantifiable since well, that's how you know how strong you are...
Squat: 400
Dead: 400
Bench: 250
2)<=15% body fat @ a body weight of 190-195 lbs
3) Be happy! This one is kinda big for me since I've suffered from chronic depression for the last 2-3 years of my life. (the only subjective goal I have)

If you have any questions or comments, please post them. I am still somewhat of a "beginner", so I need to learn more about this process and keep myself going. I hope that this log can become both a source of inspiration and a learning experience for myself and others. Thanks in advance for the support.