6:45pm - 5 BCAA, 2 HotRox + NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
8:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD w/ 1tsp coffee, 3g EPA/DHA, multi-vitamin
11:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD w/ 1tsp coffee
2:00am - 1 scoop Strawberry + 1 scoop Banana, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 4 BCAA, 1 HotRox
5:00am - 1 scoop Strawberry + 1 scoop Banana
8:45am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
10:00am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Today was pretty routine. Had one shake after my waking walk, then 3 shakes packed up in the cooler for work, with the last shake made fresh at home. Simple and convenient. Tomorrow I plan to perform my Monday workout upon waking (in the afternoon) due to my night shift schedule. I’m usually pretty dead by the end of my shift, which is 10-12 hours long depending on schedule. Otherwise, it should be a standard day. Resolve remains rock solid. Energy levels and confidence are high, while spirits remain very optimistic in general. Life feels like an upward spiral.

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6:15pm - 5 BCAA, 2 HotRox, 1/2 scoop Whey isolate + NEPA walk (3.3mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
7:30pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
10:30pm - 2 scoops Strawberry MD
1:30am - 2 scoops Banana, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 4 BCAA, 1 HotRox
5:00am - 2 scoops Vanilla MD
9:00am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA
10:00am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Last night I had a dream where my grandfather, for some reason, offered me cookies and ice cream sandwiches. In the dream, I ended up tasting them, but then realized my mistake and put them in my fridge. Throughout the whole dream I’d constantly open my fridge and always see those treats stockpiled inside. In the dream I felt so guilty for even trying them. When I woke up, it felt so real that I still felt somewhat guilty for evening having the dream. At first I thought my mind was trying to sabotage my efforts. In retrospect, I think the dream was a good warning of what a transgression would feel like. Subconsciously, my biggest fear is regression at this point, and dreams tend to bring those little fears into the spotlight.

I’ve also noticed that over the last two weeks, my skin has been pretty dry. I’m probably not drinking enough water. I also happened to run out of CLA and whey isolate today. Not a huge disaster, but I should have been better prepared. Will pick up more on Monday.

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2:45pm - 3 BCAA, 2 HotRox, 1 scoop Whey isolate + NEPA walk (3.2mph,4deg incline) @ 60 mins
3:45pm - 1 scoop whey isolate, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
6:00pm - Thai Boxing Test - Half serving of Surge, 5g creatine
7:30pm - Half serving of Surge
9:15pm - Solid Meal - 14oz New York Steak, ceaser salad, diet coke
2:00am - 2 scoops Vanilla MD, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox
5:00am - 1 scoop Strawberry MD, 1 scoop Banana MD
8:30am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
10:00am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

I underestimated both the duration and the intensity of my Thai boxing test today. It was definitely challenging, but I feel good for doing it. I will know the results next week. If it was intense enough to justify Surge, I will count it as my Friday workout.

The next best part of my day was the solid meal. It was so good you wouldn’t believe. I’m not sure exactly how to describe it, and because only sexual metaphors come to mind, I just won’t try. I’ll just say that it was extremely satisfying. I wasn’t that content since, oh, last Friday.

I can’t believe there is just one more week to go. I think I might supplement some light abdominal work on my non-training days next week to maybe improve the appearance of my belly for the final pictures. So far I’m very happy with the results. I think of it as being only half way, because I still have 3 weeks left when I include the transition phase.

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Measurements and photos were taken upon waking.

Weight: 212 lbs (-3lbs)
Neck: 16.25″ (-0.25″)
Chest: 42.75″ (-0.75″)
Torso: 37″ (-0.5″)
Belly: 38″ (-0.75″)
Waist: 37″ (-0.25″)
Arms (L/R): 14.5″/15.25″ (+0.25″)
Forearms: 12″/12″ (0)

Scale weight and measurements are both down. I thought there would be more progress in the belly region, but it turns out that the distribution of fat loss was pretty even throughout the whole torso. From the photos it appears that fat was reduced in the lower and upper back, neck, and belly areas, which is consistent with the measurements. By next week I imagine I’ll be in the 200’s. I’ve read that progress plateaus in Week 4, but I will try to remain optimistic and shoot to drop another 2 lbs of fat.

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12:00pm - 3 BCAA, 2 HotRox, 1 scoop whey + NEPA walk @ 3.2mph,4deg incline for 60 mins
1:00pm - 1 scoop whey, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA, multi-vitamin
4:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD
7:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD + 1 HotRox, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA
10:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD
1:00am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA
4:00am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium

Good day. Had a few tempting situations, but overcame them pretty easily. One was at Home Depot, where I had to deal with the incredible smell of fresh baked bread from the Subway in the front lobby. Absolutely mouth-watering. The other moment was when some friends chose to eat some gyros. I’d like to say that it was tough, but honestly, at this point willpower is stronger than ever, so it’s no big deal. I know I’ve written this many times lately, but I really look forward to that steak tomorrow.

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1:00pm - 3 BCAA, 2 HotRox, 1 scoop whey + NEPA walk @ 3.2mph,4deg incline for 60 mins
2:00pm - 1 scoop whey, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA, multi-vitamin
4:30pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD
5:30pm - 1 HotRox, 3 BCAA, 10g creatine
6:00pm - Muay Thai - Half serving of Surge peri-training
7:00pm - Half serving of Surge, 10g creatine
10:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD
1:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD + 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA
4:00am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA
5:00am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Today was a pretty rigorous training day. Lots of burpees, pushups, and conditioning drills. I definitely noticed improved conditioning. I don’t know if it was a result of the diet, or the fact that I’m down around 10 lbs. I broke the serving of Surge into two halfs (1.5 scoops in each), and drank half a serving during class and the rest afterwards. Not much to say. Energy levels are ok. No coffee or diet soda cravings. Still have a strong desire for water. Thoughts about steak this Friday/Saturday are creeping into head.

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2:00pm - 3 BCAA, 2 HotRox, 1 scoop whey + NEPA walk @ 3.2mph,4deg incline for 60 mins
3:00pm - 1 scoop whey, 3 BCAA, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA, multi-vitamin
5:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD w/ 1tsp coffee
8:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD, 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA
11:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD
3:00am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, 500g CLA
4:00am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Today was an amazing day. I got to sleep in, which was necessary because I need to adjust to night shift for the next two weekends for work. In addition to the great rest, it was a relaxed day but I was full of energy. I think the HotRox + morning walk combo is a great way to boost energy for the rest of the day.

I didn’t need any coffee, nor did I have cravings for diet soda. Today was the first day of the diet where I began to actually crave the taste and hydration of water. It’s an amazing thing. I’ve wanted to blacklist diet sodas for so long, because of the acidic load they create on the body. I originally began drinking them because they are carb-free, however, after further reading I learned more about the negatives effects on body and mouth pH levels. Water and green tea alkanize the body (good), whereas carbonated drinks, coffee, and many fruit juices, produce an acidic load. Our bodies neutralize the acidic load one way or another, so if we don’t consume enough alkalizing foods and drinks, our bodies will use calcium sources, like bones, to do the job, and then disease builds. I won’t get into the damaging effects of carbonation on our oral hygiene. Just ask a dentist.

I am looking forward to muay thai training tomorrow. I’m always leaner in the days following. This Friday I have my green shirt test for muay thai, so I should be in pretty good condition to perform it. It will be a very tight day for me because I work night shift that night. Everything will have to be done in the first 6 hours upon waking. It’s at 6:00pm, so I’m gonna wake up a few hours earlier, and get my NEPA walk done (with progress pics and measurements beforehand), then go to the test at 6pm, followed by either my solid meal, or the gym at 9pm, then work at 10:30pm. Then it’s all shakes until bedtime. I may postpone the solid meal until Saturday, because it might be too tight for Fridays schedule. I’d rather postpone the solid meal than the gym, because then it messes up the whole training mojo and it’s more important.

Another symbolic milestone on Friday is that it’s Day 21. In a book, Psycho-Cybernetics, it describes how it typically takes about 21 days for new habits to form or for new paradigms to become internalized. It’s only Day 18, and I feel that in many ways it has happened already. For example, in the past I was dismissive towards the smell of East Indian food, but a few days ago, I smelt the aroma of curry and my mouth began to water. Or take my new attitude towards water and diet sodas. It’s crazy. Physical progress aside, this has been yielding massive progress in my behavior, self-image, and self-discipline. I can only imagine what weeks 4-6 will bring.

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9:00am - 3 BCAA, 2 HotRox, 1 scoop whey + NEPA walk @ 3.3mph,4deg incline for 60 mins
10:00am - 1 scoop whey, 3 BCAA
1:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD w/ coffee
4:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD, 3 BCAA, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
7:00pm - 1 scoop Strawberry MD + 1 scoop Banana MD, 1 HotRox
9:00pm - 5 BCAA, 10g creatine - GYM - 10×3 Routine (db lunges, standing db press, db bench press)
9:45pm - 1 serving Surge, 10g creatine, 5 BCAA
12:30am - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
1:30am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Woke up rested this morning and had a great 60-minute walk on the treadmill. Energy levels were much better today, as well as mental focus. For some reason, libido is unusually low. My guess is probably from the lack of saturated fat in the diet, I don’t know. Otherwise, had a great day at the gym. Lat pull-down machine was out of service, so I subbed in bench press instead. Strawberry-Banana MD shakes are extremely tasty, so I made two of them today. Progress is looking good in the mirror. Day 21 is gonna be here in no time. Can’t wait for steak.

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10:00am - 2 scoops Vanilla MD + 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
1:00pm - 2 scoops Banana MD
4:00pm - 1 scoop Chocolate MD + 1 scoop Banana MD, 3 BCAA, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA
7:00pm - 2 scoops Strawberry MD
8:45pm - 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.2mph,4deg incline) @ 45 mins
10:30pm - 2 scoops Chocolate MD, 3tbsp flaxmeal, 1tbsp p-butter
11:30pm - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium, melatonin

Energy levels were very low today, probably due to only 5 hours of sleep last night. I think the fatigue also led to some cravings that I felt at times today. Morning NEPA was missed, so I performed it in the evening. Hopefully some melatonin and a solid 8 hours of sleep should do the trick. Looking forward to the gym tomorrow.

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9:30am - 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox, 3g EPA/DHA, CLA, multi-vitamin
10:00am - 1 scoop Chocolate MD + 1 scoop Vanilla MD
1:00pm - 2 scoops Banana MD
4:00pm - 2 scoops Strawberry MD + 3g EPA/DHA, CLA (forgot to pack BCAA and HotRox)
7:00pm - 2 scoops Vanilla MD w/ 1tsp coffee
8:45pm - 3 BCAA, 1 HotRox, NEPA walk (3.2mph,4deg incline) @ 30 mins
9:30pm - 1 scoop Chocolate MD, 1tbsp flaxmeal, 0.5tbsp p-butter
4:00am - 1 scoop Chocolate MD, 1tbsp flaxmeal, 0.5tbsp p-butter
4:00am - 3 BCAA, calcium, magnesium

Today was the most difficult day for me thus far. I underestimated the strength of large social situations, specifically involving large birthday groups and clubs. In order to accommodate the outing, I split the last shake of the day into 2 half servings, which turned out well, even though about 6.5 hours elapsed between. I suppose the constant water-drinking curbed any feelings of hunger. Although the temptation to have one or two drinks, just to loosen up, was extremely high tonight, I’m very proud of myself in retrospect. I know that any concession, however moderate, would have left me with remorse afterwards. Remaining sober also gave me a new insight into the nature of drunkenness. It’s amazing how much more you understand the real nature of it when you soberly observe.

Beforehand, I was 99% certain that I wasn’t attending, since I was in a sleep deficit already, and not to mention the diet itself. I also had to work the next morning, so it would have conflicted with both my sleep, diet, and work. At the last moment, however, I decided to go on emotion instead. It probably wasn’t the most logical decision, but in the end, I remained integrated while still being able to show my respect to a good friend.

Last night I was able to get 6 hours of sleep at the expense of my morning NEPA walk. Instead I performed it this evening, which is better than nothing. Shakes and supplements were routine, aside from the splitting of the last shake. Looking forward to the rest of Week 3.

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