Project Shehulkish

[Athene]

It's a new journal! Apparently I can't go more than 2 days without one, so here it is, new goal: Project Shehulkish

After getting a grip on nutrition and into a good groove with training, new goal is to get muscular and build some serious strength. Losing weight is no longer the goal, for the first time in life. I will log workouts and nutrition here, as well as lifestyle factors such as sleep, daily activity, and stress. I think all of these things combine to have an impact on the whole person, and the more in tune I am with what's going on in life and with body, the more I increase chances of success. I like to acknowledge everything upfront: strengths, shortcomings, and fears. I've always felt like I wasn't doing what I was supposed to do, and now I finally feel like I am on the right track, so I'm going to try best to see it through.

The Plan:
- Eat protein a minimum of 4x per day (sometimes meals get too few and far in between)
- Take a fish oil pill with every meal (helps burn body fat and increase lean muscle mass)
- Continue to abstain from grains as a carb source (nutritionally skimpy and carb heavy compared with vegetables and fruit)
- Plan a treat meal a maximum of weekly (stick to the no cheating rule, very important)
- Train as hard as I can 5-6 days per week (measure strength gains over time)
- Monitor sleep hygiene so that it doesn't get out of whack (need to at least aim for 8 hours every night)
- Manage time and other commitments well in order to minimize stress overall (work on thesis every day, maintain communication with family, integrate quality time with friends, be the best spouse I can be, etc.)

Getting this stuff down really helps me organize thoughts and enact changes in daily life. Okay, it's July 25 at 1:19 in the morning. Here we go.

[maritacatrina]

looking forward to seeing your progress! Maybe it'll be motivating for me- I'm in a slump right now and at a point where I need to sit down and make a detailed plan, but for some reason I'm having a hard time doing that.

[richs]

Good luck! I am looking forward to your journal. Just remember that others will use it as an inspiration, maybe that will help to stay motivated. Take it one step at a time, day by day. No doubt you will succeed.

[musculArgirl2]

So do you go to a gym too Karrie or do you just do that class (i'm going blank on the name right now. )

How mnay mg are your fish oil pills. I just take one a day and mg for fish oil is 1200. Just wondering. Thinking maybe i should up it and do it twice a day..

I'm excited to hear your future progress karrie. I know you will do awesome. Good luck!

[Boss Man]

One thing I know about you after this long, is that there exists inside of you, the foundations of a truly great physical creation. There also exists the foundations of a truly great heart and mind.

These three things, are capable of generating a very potent symbiotic relationship, which permits long continous periods of sustainable progress.

This does not mean that the mental and emotional foundations, are necessarily strong enough, to always withstand the rigours of life and the potential physical and emotional pain and uncertainty, that is tied in with goals like yours, but the foundations are solid and therefore you have everything required in all three cases, to achieve what you want, without seriously jeopardising progress, because you are not trying to undertake something, you are in one or more ways, not quite ready for.

I know that you can do this, because I have held total and unwavering belief in you, from the moment you showed me you had enough to give and I know that along the way, it will be tough, sometimes dissapointing, confusing, painful and at times mentally and emotionally draining, but I also know that with this comes great rewards and the chance to become a more learned, wiser, capable, enriched and physically accomplished individual.

You DO have what it takes to make this work for you and i know you can train hard enough and sacrifice what is required to make this work. I've seen you speak so often from the heart and engender pride from those that know you, for the incredibly human and charismatic Lady you are.

I have the utmost respect and admiration for your goals, because I believe every woman, is born with the right to end up old and become naturally strong and healthy, without fear of judgment or distain, for not comforming to a centuries old image or social stereotype.

I recognise that the kind of image you want to create for yourself, is one that demonstrates to right minded people like me, how feminine strength in many cases, can justifiably be called beautiful and I know you will give what is required to make this happen and because of everything you are as a person and for the absolute respect I have for you and your goals, I will continue to give complete and unshakeable support, to what you want to do

No matter how hard or sometimes dissapointing or upsetting it gets, I will be one of those people you can always turn to and offload on, because I'm not just a moderator, but I'm also a human being, a friend and a true believer and I won't hesitate to sacrifice a part of inner self, on many occasions, to help you achieve whatever you want to achieve, not because your success somehow enhances me, or increases importance and image, but because your success matters to you a lot, so therefore it matters to me a lot and I care enough to stick by people like you, throughout the entire journey .

I know you are going to continue to prove how amazing you are and how much more amazing you can become and I know you will continue to be a terrific female rolemodel, Lady and human being throughout.

I am sending you a big PAT ON THE BACK for everything you have achieved up to date, both physically and in terms of the person you are and the life you have carved for yourself.

This journey is a chance for you to shine and to grow in many ways and embody the true spirit, essence and image of a strong female and whatever I can do and give don't hesitate to ask okay, as myself and many on this community are right behind you Karrie and we all want you to achieve, becasue you are an fantastic perrson and deserve our respect, support and gratitude for the tireless kindness, and community spirit you constantly provide.

I AM REALLY PROUD OF YOU for what you've achieved to date and I'm looking forward with great positivity to what you will relate of your life in the future.

GOOD LUCK, chin up, be strong and don't stop believing in yourself okay, because if you want to be the sort of person I described, in 50 years from now, you've got everything it takes to make it happen, so you can only possibly let yourself down, if for reasons within your control, it doesn't .

[Athene]

I've been looking forward to checking this all day, and your comments are motivating me over the top!!

So do you go to a gym too Karrie or do you just do that class (i'm going blank on the name right now. )

How mnay mg are your fish oil pills. I just take one a day and mg for fish oil is 1200. Just wondering. Thinking maybe i should up it and do it twice a day..

I'm excited to hear your future progress karrie. I know you will do awesome. Good luck!

Thanks Becky! I train at a CrossFit gym 5 days per week, commute by bike 3-5 times, and swim or run once (usually sprints). About the fish oil: Is it 1200 mg of fish oil or of omega 3? Omega 3 is the number you get when you combine the EPA and DHA of each pill. Each of pills contains 900 mg of EPA/DHA, from what I've read, most healthy people should take 3000 mg per day (divided between your meals, always taken with food) to get the full benefit of the supplement, but most of the people I know take more like 5000 mg. Here's a good link http://www.brinkzone.com/articles/fish-oil-for-fat-loss

Good luck! I am looking forward to your journal. Just remember that others will use it as an inspiration, maybe that will help to stay motivated. Take it one step at a time, day by day. No doubt you will succeed.

Thanks, dude! I really appreciate that and will use it to stay on track.

looking forward to seeing your progress! Maybe it'll be motivating for me- I'm in a slump right now and at a point where I need to sit down and make a detailed plan, but for some reason I'm having a hard time doing that.

You have done such amazing things since January - it must be tough to maintain the momentum. Do you have any new goals? A goal and a calendar with stickers, plus posting here, seems to be the magic combo for me

One thing I know about you after this long, is that there exists inside of you, the foundations of a truly great physical creation. There also exists the foundations of a truly great heart and mind.

These three things, are capable of generating a very potent symbiotic relationship, which permits long continous periods of sustainable progress.

This does not mean that the mental and emotional foundations, are necessarily strong enough, to always withstand the rigours of life and the potential physical and emotional pain and uncertainty, that is tied in with goals like yours, but the foundations are solid and therefore you have everything required in all three cases, to achieve what you want, without seriously jeopardising progress, because you are not trying to undertake something, you are in one or more ways, not quite ready for.

You are getting poetic on me, Boss You've been a great support through injuries, goals, successes, and failures throughout the past 2 years, and I am always deeply appreciative of your input and support. Thank you.

[Athene]

Today's workout was rough, I kept stumbling with the box jumps and the deadlift was heavier for me, but I'm working on it. I just was not hungry after breakfast today. I'm eating so much fat that I'm almost never hungry, it's kind of nice. I know I need to eat vegetables too, I just hadn't been grocery shopping, but that's all taken care of now. I'm ramping up the fish oil pills, I took one today and will take 2 tomorrow, 3 the next, etc.

Lifestyle
Slept 9 hours (slept in and didn't work on school stuff before work...hmm)
Drove to and from work
8 hours at a desk
Walked at lunch

Training
Warm Up - 500 m row, 3 sets 10 each: pull up, air squat, push up, sit up
WOD - For time: 10 Deadlifts (165lbs), 20 Pull Ups, 30 Box Jumps (20"), 40 KB swings (35 lbs), 50 Double Unders - then back down through the list to the DLs (Time - 18:14)
Flexibility

Nutrition
10:00 AM - 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 2 tbsp cheddar, 4 strips side bacon, 2 cups black coffee, 900 mg fish oil
1:00 PM - BCAA powder
3:00 PM - 1 whey shake, 1 apple, 2 tbsp nut butter
6:00 PM - 1 whey shake, 2 tbsp nut butter
11:00 PM - postWOD 500 ml chocolate milk, 2 tbsp nut butter

[Boss Man]

Here's something to take into consideration.

Krill Oil.

You may be aware that Krill are little seas creatures, consumed by Whales, certain Penguin species and other sealife, but Krill Oil is reckoned to be kind of like the new Fish Oil and has been around for a while now.

I did read somewhere once, one individual in their 60's, claiming a mild amount of intestinal discomfort from it, but I have read no such reports on it anywhere else, nor any other evidence of any kind, purporting it to cause tangible risk to anyone.

I believe it also does not cause the fishy burps sensation, that Fish Oil can sometimes cause, although I believe cold water filtering is one method, (I don't know how many there are), of producing Fish Oil, in a way that doesn't cause that effect for consumers.

So it might be worthy of looking into.

As for EPA and DHA, they are Omega 3's derived from Alpha Linoleic Acid, during a conversion in vivo, as other fats such as Gamma Linoleic Acid, (GLA) and Di-homo Gamma Linoleic Acid, (DGLA), are also derived from this process.

There is some wasteage from the conversion, I'm not sure how much, but I don't think it's significant, but in terms of getting EPA and DHA from things like Avocado, Flax, Soy and associated products and foodstuffs, edible Oils, Nuts etc, in comparison to Fish, it might be a better way, as with the possible exception of Lead, plant matter and Egg based Omega 3, shouldn't come with the downside of heavy metal consumption.

So something you may not have considered or realised before, but checking out Krill Oil, might be worth a look too . I used to have a bookmark somewhere, to a page about Krill Oil and may possibly have linked to that site, on one or two occcasions on here; obviously the search facility should reveal if that is the case, but I've since lost said bookmark, but anyway hey ho.

[Athene]

Interesting, Boss. I buy the best value bulk pack at Costco, and that's the only way I can afford them, so whatever type of fish is in there is what I have to deal with for the time being I'll keep an eye out for Krill though. I think the ones I have are from salmon and mackerel, or something like that. I take fish oil because of the benefits described by Barry Sears. It's pretty amazing how studies keep confirming it's importance in so many areas: obesity treatment, mental health, preventing degenerative diseases, etc.

Today was an atypical day and I was so sore from yesterday that training today didn't feel like a good idea. A famous CrossFitter has said, "During training you listen to your body, during competition you tell it to shut up." So I followed that advice. I saw family and some friends today and everyone thinks it's crazy how different I supposedly look right now! I didn't think there was much of a difference, but I guess body composition has really changed. All the little changes add up over time it seems. I'll take it!

Lifestyle
Slept 6 hours (aiming for 7 tonight, will work up to 8 or 9)
Got up earlier than usual and worked on thesis, awesome
Drove to and from work (special event)
5 hours at desk, 3 hours up and about

Training
Rest Day 1/2

Nutrition
8:30 AM - 2 black coffees, 2 tbsp nut butter, 1 cup whole milk
11:30 AM - 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 4 strips side bacon, 900 mg fish oil
2:30 PM - 1 whey shake, 2 cups steamed broccoli, 2 tbsp nut butter
5:00 PM - 2 cups black coffee (had too much coffee today and was nauseated at the end of the day)
8:00 PM - 4 oz barbecued sausage, 1 cup fresh veggies, 2 tbsp nut butter
11:00 PM - 1 whey shake, 2 cups steamed broccoli with butter, 900 mg fish oil

[Athene]

Well I'm up earlier than usual, working on thesis. It's going to be 4 more weeks of this before I go on vacation and take some time off from it. I need to re-write every chapter and just put it together better than the initial draft, so that's what I'm working on. I use a Keurig coffee maker and bought some Van Houte butterscotch flavoured coffee last night, so I could look forward to it this morning. It's a departure from the Starbucks Dark Verona that I usually buy, but I'm really enjoying the change. There's no sugar in it, and it smells like caramel. Mmmm. Nice treat in the morning. I finally have a pump that works for bike, I've been riding with low tire pressure on the back wheel for two weeks now. I also got some oil for the chain - turns out you actually have to do that once in a while. Oops

Lifestyle
Slept 7.5 hours (aiming for 8 tonight)
Biked 10k to work, got a ride home
Walked on lunch break

Training
Warm Up - 500 m row, 3 sets 10 each: pull up, air squat, push up, sit up
Technique - Snatch practice
WOD - 3 rounds for time: 10 Ground to Overhead with a barbell, 2 lengths bear walk
Flexibility

Nutrition
8:30 AM - 2 cups black coffee
10:30 AM - 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 2 tbsp cheddar, 6 strips bacon
2:00 PM - 1 whey shake, 2 cups steamed broccoli, 2 tbsp nut butter
6:00 PM - 1 whey shake, 2 tbsp nut butter
11:30 PM - 2 cups extra lean ground beef with peas and carrots, 2 cups herbal tea

[musculArgirl2]

It's going to be 4 more weeks of this before I go on vacation and take some time off from it.

Is that when you go to England? I take a vacation in a week!! This time i'm staying home.



Have fun on the thesis!

[Boss Man]

The reason others were more likely to notice physical change than you, is you were getting minute daily changes, that your mind was constantly adpating it's perception of, but the other people are seeing person 1, then next time person 2.

You have seen person 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc, to use some sort of understandable context.

[Athene]

Becky - yeah! I'm going for a wedding and to see family. I'm really looking forward to the time off from school and work. Feeling kinda run down and just want to go to the beach these days

The reason others were more likely to notice physical change than you, is you were getting minute daily changes, that your mind was constantly adpating it's perception of, but the other people are seeing person 1, then next time person 2.

You have seen person 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc, to use some sort of understandable context.

I like that! Karrie 2.0 is here.

[Boss Man]

I like that! Karrie 2.0 is here.

With more power, more streamlined, quicker, more capability, better memory, increased task handling abilities and more dedicated run time.

[Athene]

Hehe, awesome Bossman!

Today was good, but I felt really weak and sloppy in workout. I can only try best, so that's what I'm doing. I will Hulk out or die trying bike ride home was hilarious today. It was really hot and humid outside, which I was actually looking forward to, but there was what felt like a WALL of wind that I just couldn't push through. Every street I turned down felt like it was saying "You thought that was windy? This is the REAL direction the wind is coming from!" I had to stop and get a drink and recover halfway home. I must have looked insane biking so furiously and moving so slowly! lower body was wrecked from workout too, so I felt extra messed up and off-balance. I stopped to get groceries so at one point I was teeter-tottering at the curb of an intersection with grocery bags on both bike handles.... it's amazing I'm alive lol I'm not really very adept on bike.

Lifestyle
Slept 7.5 hours
Biked 10k to work and 10k home
4 hours at a desk, 4 hours up and about

Training
Warm Up - 500 m row, 3 sets 10 each: pull up, air squat, push up, sit up
Technique - Deadlift and Thruster practice
WOD - For time, 21-15-9 of 55 lbs Thrusters + 135 lbs Deadlifts (deadlift form sucked today, couldn't keep core tight)
Flexibility

Nutrition
7:30 AM - 1 cup black coffee, 4 eggs, 2 tbsp cheddar, 900 mg fish oil
1:00 PM - 2 cups ground beef with peas and carrots, 2 tbsp nut butter, 900 mg fish oil
3:00 PM - 2 cups black coffee with cream
6:00 PM - postWOD whey shake, 500 ml G2
8:00 PM - 1 sirloin hamburger patty,1 slice cheddar, 2 onion rings, barbecue sauce, 2 cups french fries, and 2 deep fried Mars bars with vanilla ice cream. Amazing treat meal - the fries and the deep fried mars bars were amazing, they were in a pastry that made me so happy I closed eyes and just enjoyed it! Ohhh sugar. Surprisingly, no crash. Fish oil is supposed to make a difference with that, I wonder if it helped? Who knows.
11:00 PM - 1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup 35% cream

I read a good article by Gary Taubes in The NewYorker today about new studies in nutrition and the results of a medical study between high fat-low carb eaters and high carb-low fat eaters, and the old calories-in-versus-calories-out debate regarding weight loss. Interesting stuff. Nutritional Study