How do you measure calories from yoga and lifting and wheelchair walks?
Is that this watch that calculates it somehow based on the heart rate? Or something different?

It's the Apple Watch based on heartrate (and it gives me baseline calories + activity calories, which is nice) but I also track walks in Runkeeper which gives me a map when I'm done. It's surprisingly close on calories for a wheelchair walk but I haven't checked if it's grabbing data from the watch. I know they gauge distance differently--the watch seems to use horizontal movement only while Runkeeper counts elevation as one would expect.

Tx. I had this week first attempt to track my running with strava app on my phone. Not even calories. Just distance, time and elevation. Disappointingly inaccurate.

8/16 -- 242 lbs 23.6% bf

3-day cut average: 2663 calories vs 3140 tdee est.
256g protein (136.7 from powders)
180g carbs
96g fats


-----------------------------


Deadlift LP + 5/3/1 Front Squats 5's (TM 270)

Snatch 3x45, 3x65, 3x75, 3x85, 2x2x95
Klokov Press 6x45
Fat Gripz OHP (extra-wide grip) (32X1) 8x95 @7, 6x125 @8, 6x135 @8.5
Front Squats 5x95 (64X1), 5x145 (31X1), 5x175 @8
Raised Heel Front Squats 2x1x175, 5x175 @9, 5x205 @9, 5x215 @9.5, 3x215 @8

French Press 8x87, 6x97
Skullcrushers 8x87, 2x8x97
Power Clean 5x45, 3x95, 3x135, 3x145, 3x155
Sumo Deadlift (speed) 5x135, 5x225, 5x315
Deadlift 2x325, 2x375, 425 ff, SSPT emom 10x1x405 (f9) @10

Single Leg Leg Press 10x+90, 10x+140
Back Extensions 2x6
Shrugs 16x225, 2x16x245

Workout calories: 906


A bit of a bonk on deadlift and it could be a lot of things:
*I'm cutting
*Too much work before DLs
*Changed my DL rampup sets
*The upper body lifts
*The SLDLs earlier in the week
*It's been 8 straight weeks of repeated RPE 10 deadlifts, so may be time for a deload
*New happy pills?
*Had been working in mixed grip, double-overhand, and hook grip today before going to straps for 425

So, I'm not going to sweat it, but I may decide to deload next week then repeat this workout then go to a more moderate progression on my next 5/3/1 schedule. Maybe.

Front squats trying a reset but still bending forward more than I'd like so put my heels on a 1" board. Really resulted in a more upright posture, and really, REALLY more strain on the quads this way. Went a little light on the top set as a result. May have ****ed with my deadlift.

Snatches I'm stopping where I'm catching a foot out of the hole and balance is an issue. So much scarier than split snatch. May have ****ed with my deadlift.

Power cleaned for the first time this year. Seemed fine but got a bit sketchy at 155 so stopped there. May have ****ed with my deadlift.

OHP was mainly about working from a static bottom position. Guess it may have ****ed with my deadlift.

Single leg press was just trying it out since I want to get some unilateral in. Definitely didn't **** with my deadlift since I did it afterward.

8/17 -- 241 lbs 23.5% bf

2253 calories
*213g protein (50 from powders)
*128g carbs
*93g fats


Wheelchair walks: 1.5 miles hills @ 200 calories

---------------------

Yoga 675 calories


Finally a handstand session!

8/18 -- 239.8 lbs 23.2% bf

5/3/1 Bench Press 3's (TM 288 (~130kg) + reduced backoffs) + Cheat Rows LP

Bench Press (kilos) 6x75, 5x90, 3x100 @7, 3x110 @8, 2x3x120 @9.5, 10, 3x110 @9
Pendlay Rows 8x135 (X1X3), 10x225 (X1X1), 8x255, 5x275 f6, 5x275
Cheat Rows 8x275, 2x6x295

1-Arm Arnold Press 8x40s @7, 6x50s @7, 2x6x60s @8
Concentration Curls 2x10x40s
Machine Crunches 3x12x+125
Zottman Curls 20x40s, 14x40s, 2x8x50s
Lateral raises 15x15s, 3x12x20s, 8x25s, 5x25s
Bent over laterals 20x12s, 20x20s, 2x15x25s

Stationary bike wu, hiit, wu = 15:00

Watch paused workout after 30 minutes so I don't have calories. At least 685.


Only had 40 minutes for bench & rows so really squeezed in the cheat rows with heavy breathing and just didn't go heavy. Was prepared to lose some bench press reps but thankfully did not. In fact, actual top work weight was 164 lbs instead of 160 due to the significantly easier math of just loading a second set of 25 kilo plates! I mean, for speed! So while I've generally been looking to get an extra rep on the 3+ set, seemed OK to stop there today and attempt (and succeed at) a follow-up 3-rep set of the same weight with short "rest" in between maybe 2 minutes including rowing 5x275.

I don't know if I've ever spelled it out here but I'm modifying the 5/3/1 weights for bench press by increasing the first two sets by 7.5-25 lbs. Today the book called for 3x202 and 3x231 before 3+x260. The 30 lbs jump to 260 is just too much for me, I've found the 260 would feel awful, and that prescribed bottom set just feels like nothing and I already do a warmup. So today I went 3x220 and 3x242 instead and, for me, the top set feels great. If I didn't have the metric plates I probably would have put 3x225 and 3x245 just because of, again, the easier math.

After that, back to my apartment gym for accessories and cardio.

What else? Oh yeah, weighed in under 240, woot woot! 7 pounds in 4 days? Those are Beyonce numbers!

So I just have to row 2x what I can do and hit 2xBW chins and I can have a back like yours? Sigh.

Nice work amidst all this man, truly impressive on so many fronts.

Thanks. I guess rows are really the only lift I've consistently worked 8-10 reps on.

Sounds like you're a little light on them compared to chins. Have you tried rapidly increasing the weight? Always worked for me.

I'd say don't think of it as a 2xBW chin so much as a 1-arm chin!


2119 calories (-1021)
205g Protein
154g Net Carbs
67g Fat

8/19 -- 239.2 lbs 23.10% bf

Easy Run Lots o' hills 3.7 Miles in 52:24 (14:09 pace) avg hr 140, 497 calories


Well that sucked but hopefully it makes Spenda feel better! So many hills and any effort seemed to get hr up to 150 whereas I was trying to stick close to 140. Not too hot (80) but very humid. May have to go treadmill for a while, just so I can ever get in a rhythm.

Appreciate you torturing yourself to make me feel better, to your point I just need to up the intensity (weight) wrt my back training.

Always thought you needed to feel the lifts in certain areas but there comes a point where if you can row x amount of weight, even without a “mind muscle” connection, you’re gonna have a large back.

Yeah I never really feel it, I just stop being able to complete the pull. I'm more focused on trying to hold position and form anyway. Even when I do 5 second eccentrics on chest-supported rows to failure, I only really feel it when I stop (it burns a lot).



Energy 2696 calories (-444)
Protein 235g
Net Carbs 251g
Fat 76g

8/20 -- 236.8 lbs 22.6% bf

5/3/1 Squat 3's (TM 393 + backoffs)

C2 Rowing 5:00

HBB Squat 5x135 (53X1), 3x225 (31X1), 3x275 @7, 3x315 @8, 355 @8, 3x355 @10, 3x342.5 @9.5
Dips ladder 1->5, 8, 4x8x+25...up to @8

NG Ring Frenchies 2, 3x2x+20, 2...up to @8
Anderson SSB (low bar style) Squats 155, 175, 195, 205, 215, 5x225
Split Snatch (kg) 2x3x40, 2x3x50, 2x2x53, 2x1x53

Incline Dumbell Bench Press (30 degrees) 6x45s, 6x55s, 6x60s, 6x65s up to @8
Straight-Leg Deadlift (Mike T deficit style) 8x185, 3x6x235 (3XX1)
AbWheel Rollouts 2x8

Kettlebell Swing EMOM 3x15x52
Seated low cable row (53X1) 3x8x"100"

Total Workout Calories (active) = 1677


Decided to switch things up and go with squats first. In a way, 355 is a 3-rep PR, but in another, more accurate way, I have done 3x5x360 before, granted low-bar squat. First time stepping out of the 5-rep range and my back position showed some weakness, but I think a few more rounds of Anderson squats should take care of that!

Also got video of the split snatches and will post after I get back from dinner. Did them as a complex with the Andersons. Wrist was hurting today and back felt pretty stiff but everything seemed to warm up well enough to get by. Called off my planned push presses though and just did incline bench.

Oh--given yesterday's misery and the stiff back today...I don't give a **** compared to dropping 2 and a half pounds overnight. Maybe I'll run outside in the heat every day! Maybe I'll find worse hills!

There's a 531 variant where you warm up to a single above your working set for the day, I wonder if that would work for you

Some comments on your snatch form:

1. You are lifting the weight with your arms instead of your legs. Think of your arms as cables / ropes. Focus on moving yourself straight upwards by pushing with your legs. Finish the movement with shoulders and move your elbows up alongside your body, while you drop (pull yourself) straight down.
2. You want to start with your shoulders (slightly) in front of the bar. So raise your hips higher in your starting position. Then try to keep your shoulders over the bar ("cover the bar") as long as possible while you are performing the lift.


1. & 2. should help you keep the bar closer to your body. It is moving wayyyy out in front of you. Because you are strong you still manage to control the weight overhead, but with real weight (for you) it will become impossible.

3. You are not finishing the pull and you are moving your feet into the split too early. Are you set on performing split snatch? With these weights you can easily perform power snatch without having the mobility for full squat snatch. Maybe at a later stage you can switch back to split snatch when you have learnt to finish the movement better, if you feel you are lacking the mobility for squat snatch.

Maybe. I do that on 5's days (with the projected triple weight). Mainly trying to get more volume than typical 5/3/1.

Sounds fair enough.

Re: #3, Yes, I want the unilateral stress action and I feel much more confident with split snatch. I also do full squat snatch but not on the same day and not with as much weight...actually I guess it winds up being close to a power snatch.

Why are you arbitrarily stopping your hbbs there vs all the way down?

I'd switch to hang power snatch or power snatch from blocks if you want the pulling wl benefits without learning wl. Both are hard to screw up or rather you can learn them more quickly.

Hmm...that does sound like it might be what I want.

8/20

Energy 2559 Calories (-581)
Protein 269g (164g powders)
Net Carbs 179g
Fat 79g

8/21

Energy 2486 Calories (-654)
Protein 270g (144g powders)
Net Carbs 142g
Fat 87g


Yoga


Today was the first day where I pretty much felt hungry all day. Got a new protein powder through Amazon (MyProtein The Whey) that has some cassein in it, so hopefully that soothes things over a bit.

8/22 -- 240.4 lbs 23.3% bf

5/3/1 Overhead Press 3's (TM 191 + backoffs) + Archer Pullups 3's

Overhead Press 5x105, 5x125, 3x135 @6, 3x155@7, 3x172 f4, 2x3x172 @10, 10, 3x165 @10
Archer Pullups 4 mixed, 6x3 one-sided, 4 mixed
BTN Press/Push Press 2x(3x145/3x145) @9
Reverse-grip Bench Press 8x135, 5x185 @8, 5x210 @9, 5x185 @9
Upright Rows 8x95, 8x125, 2x8x130
Chest flystretches

C2 Rower 16:00, 3450 m, 155 calories


Workout felt fine. Somewhat surprised I was able to get a 2nd and 3rd set of 172 after failing on a 4th rep the first set, especially as I was resting maybe 2 minutes between sets. The 4th was, at least, close.

Archers felt much better today.

Finally needed a liftoff on reverse-grip bench press.

Realized today my new happy pills are one of those kinds that make people fat; I feel nauseous on an empty stomach (particularly with coffee) and inordinately hungry much of the time. Hoping it's the sort of effect that fades. Also, not yet happy although several people have remarked I "seem less on edge".

8/23 -- 232.8 lbs 21.9% bf

OK, just your run-of-the-mill 8 lbs drop overnight. It looks like an outlier, but actually it is on the same slope as the running cut so far--it's the previous two days that were off it. No idea, but here is the 3 day average vs. my peak 3 day avg. pre-cut:

* 8/21 - 23: 236.9 lbs. 22.6% bf 34.9% mm = 82.6 lbs mm, 53.6 lbs bf
* 8/11 - 13: 246.6 lbs. 24.4% bf 33.9% mm = 83.6 lbs mm, 60.3 lbs bf

Results not much different if I throw out today's low measurement; about a 7:1 bf:mm ratio. That sounds good! No idea why I'm losing a pound a day--I can account for *maybe* half that from TDEE and exercise, and I'm not going low carb at all--according to my scale my water % has actually been going up steadily during this. I am down 1 belt loop at the gym.

With that, yesterday was a couple hundred calories higher than today:
Energy 3270 (+131)
Protein 259g (159 from powders)
Net Carbs 301g
Fat 107g

Not too worried about the lack of deficit during two days of workouts, but a little worried that it's mostly feverish hunger and chasing away "empty-stomach nausea". I'm told it will fade assuming it's the medicine and not just my body.

----------------------------

Deadlift deload (TM 487) + Front Squat 3's (TM 270)

Front Squats 5x135 (64X1), 3x185 (31X1), 3x195 @6
Raised Heel Front Squats 3x195 @7, 3x225 @8, 3x245 @8.5
Fat Gripx OHP (wide-grip, static) 6x115, 4x145 @8, 2x4x155 @8.5, @9
1-leg RDL 2x6x135
Overhead Pin Press (head height -1) 3x155, 2x3x185, 2x2x195
Overhead Half-Press 4x165, 4x175, 3x185

Sumo Deadlift (31X1) 5x185, 5x235, 5x275 @7
Deadlift (31X1) 5x275 @6, 2x5x295 @7, 7

Skullcrushers 8x87, 8x97, 8x102
French Press 8x87, 6x97
Shrugs 2x16x275


Only had slightly more than an hour, so cut some stuff. I think I'll do some lower body stuff during saturday's bench/row day.

I guess eccentrics on deadlift isn't *that* bad.

It won't make you happy. Just more indifferent to things happening around you.

I have been on antidepressants. Various kinds. It was hard work to find something that worked. For me it was mirtazapine. And it did make me fat. When I was on it I gained 10 kg in a year. It switches off the satiation center in the brain. But it was so worth it. It was an absolute miracle drug for my sleep. Worked a lot better than any benzoes. And I am normally anxious and easily worried. When I was on it I was the calm in person. And I didn't kill myself, what in itself is worth a lot.

I guess what I want to say: don't get hang-up on fat, don't expect to become happy. Just see if your life on average gets a little bit better.

Well you’re right you definitely can’t put a price on not committing suicide! But try explaining that one to normals!

Christ! It’s like my stomach is eating itself and it keeps saying, “That’s not enough!”