Mr Brittas's Journal - ****NEW PICS on PG-32****

First weekend into the cut........... disaster!!
 
Both mornings started off ok, but things went downhill after that.  Saturday morning start with an omlette and just 1 slice of toast.  But then we took our son out for the day to a railway exhibition thing (Thomas the tank!), and it was lunchtime.  So I ended up with a cheese burger from the burger van.  Then we had a take away at night which was pizza.
 
I felt bad on Sunday so I just had a couple of whey shakes all morning then went to the in-laws for lunch which is always chicken curry.  Plenty of rice but all healthy....... until dessert!  I couldn't say no.  We had bacon sandwiches for tea, and I caved in and had 2 instead of my planned 1!
I've learnt a few lessons and I know where I went wrong.  The day out was hard to plan, but I can avoid the takeaway (or have a chicken kebab maybe), I should've avoided the dessert at lunch and stuck to one bacon sarnie.  The thing is, some of these meals can't be avoided (well they could, but family life wouldn't be much fun) so I just need to watch the portion size and skip desserts.
 
This is the main reason a keto diet suited me with a sunday refeed that sometimes started on Saturday night.  But it made evening meals difficult and thats whats causing the problems at the minute.
 
I don't know if I've lost anything this week.  I'm sure I have as I was hungry on most days, and did cardio.  So this is a new start this week, 45 mins cardio everyday and I'm making more effort to drop carbs in the evening.  Then when next weekend comes around I need to be much more carefull.  The protein only breakfast idea was a good one, especially the shake as thats a good way of keeping the cals down, so when I know a bad day is coming up I'll do that.  I'll end up going keto at some point but not yet.
 
I'll get weighed next Saturday so I hope I can make a dent in my weight this week.

42 minutes cardio this morning.  I know times can vary when you're on the road but I'll extend the route slightly so I can make sure I'm doing at least 45 mins.  There's a section where I turn back on myself so I'll just go a bit further down that road.  My logging software is doing my head in and didn't report the distance til half way thru the run.  It wouldn't bother me that much but it's quite cool (when it works) and shouts out my distance and calories over my music.  It's getting re-installed today and I'll try something else if it doesn't work.
 
More spanners in the works over the coming weeks.......... time off work!  This is a real problem for me because I'm having days off work for family time, so I can't really afford to be going to the gym.  I'm not too worried about the weights as I can squeeze them in, but I want to make sure I still hit cardio somehow.  I suppose I'll still have to get up early and do it.  And the diet has to stay strict.  If I can make sure I get 5 cardio sessions in a week, whether its AM or in the evening, I'll be ok.
 
So I'm working this week but plan on being off next Monday and Tuesday.  Then off the following Monday, then it's good Friday so I'll be off, then Easter Monday.  Nightmare.  If there's any London trips thrown into the mix it'll be a killer.  So the next 2 weeks will be 3 day weeks.  I need to squeeze a weights session in on one of the days off so I can do a 4 day split and get cardio in whenever I can.  Worst case I do a 3 day split but it's not ideal.
 
 

Another crazy morning at work which seems to get worse around lunchtime and makes me late for the gym.  Not good when I'm cutting and need my energy from the 11am meal.  If I'm not training til 1pm it doesn't have the same affect.
 
I did an odd thing today.......  because I was short of time and knew I had to get back to work, I decided instead of doing 2 exercises (3 sets) of pulldowns and 2 exercises of rowing, I'd just do 6 sets of each.  Same amount of work, but on the same piece of equipment.  Saving me time changing between machines and loadin them up.  I don't change my grip or anything at the minute so it made no real difference and felt good.
 
Back            WEEK 5
 
WG LatPD            6 x 8            95kg (6), 87.5kg (7), 80kg, 72.5kg, 65kg, 57.5kg
Machine row        6 x 8            65kg (5), 60kg (6), 50kg, 45kg, 40kg, 35kg
BB shrugs            3 x 10          90kg for all
 
 
Good session.  Weights are static but even with tons of food I think I'd hit a wall.  After this 6 week routine is done I'll be aiming for the 8 - 10 rep range.  No lower than 8 for the heavy set and aiming for 10 for the last 2.  I'm not doing this because I'm cutting really, I just think I need a change.  I've smashed a load of PBs and without tons of food I'm not going to be lifting anymore.  But even if I was still eating a lot I think I'd be making the change.
 
It won't be an excuse to go light, but I will drop the weight a bit and let it build back up over the 6 weeks and see how it feels.

45 mins cardio this morning.  I enjoyed it again.  I extended my run a little bit and it took me to bang on 45 mins (obviously this will vary day to day).  I'll be taking it upto 50 mins next week anyway.  Thing is, I can't imagine doing 45/50 mins on the X trainer.  I think I'd die of boredom.  I'm going to give it a try this Thurs/Fri but if it's no good I might just start getting up at 5am on these 2 days so I'm back into for my wife getting up and I can be on hand for my little one waking up.  Worth thinking about anyway.
 
Diet was good yesterday.  Shepherds pie for the evening meal.  I had a good portion but scrapped most of the potatoe and cheese topping and it was just as nice.  My wife feels like she's put a bit of weight back on so she's watching her food again, which helps me.
 
Looking forward to training chest and tri's at lunchtime.  I just pray I can get out as normal and train.
 
If I can get in the gym 5 days this week I can do next Mondays back session on Friday, meaning I only have to train on one of my days off.  This would make life much easier.  Then for the following week I definitely won't be able to train on the Monday when I'm off so I might sneak a saturday morning session in or something. 
 
I remembered what I did last year to get round the bank holidays........ because we usually go out on the Sunday, I nipped to the gym once Noah was shipped off to our parents, and squeezed a session in before I went out.  I'll do that again this year if its possible.

Quite a relaxed morning at work for a change.  Managed to eat on time and go and train on time.  In fact it's been a bit too relaxed and I've not got much work done.
 
Chest + Tri's            WEEK 5
 
Inc Smith            3 x 8            95kg (6), 90kg (7), 80kg
Dec smith            3 x 8           100kg (5), 80kg (10), 80kg(10)
Dips                    3 x 8            BW + 14kg, +14kg (5), BW
Cable X overs    3 x 12            25kg, 30kg (10), 25kg
Pushdowns        3 x 12           60kg, 65kg, 65kg
 
 
So I said I was going to drop the weight on the presses as it felt unsafe and reps dropped too low.  Well things still felt heavy on the first sets, so I let the weight drop and the reps go up and it felt amazing!  I plan on upping the reps when this 6 week routine is up, but I'll kinda phase it in over the next couple of weeks anyway.
 
Ive decided to drop any kind of trap work as I'm convinced they are over powering my chest.  I didn't train them for years and looked ok, so it's not going to make a massive difference to my shape.  I can always bring them back in if it doesn't work.  This is good as my back session is a bit crammed anyway and I need to include more ab work.
 
I looked good in the changing rooms and it gave me the boost I needed.  I'm fretting about these days off work.  Over the next 3 weeks I'll have 5 days off work.  As I said, weights will be fitted in, but cardio will be hard.  I'm going to aim for 5 cardio sessions a week, but goldon rule during this time will be 4 CARDIO SESSIONS WITHOUT FAIL!  5 is good but it can't drop below 4.  I don't care if I have to do 45 mins at 11pm at night, it's got to be done somehow.  Mornings, evenings, lunchtimes, I have to fit it in.

45 min run this morning and I enjoyed it again...... although I'm feeling it this week.  Legs are in bits.  My GPS software has been playing up since I started running, only logging half the run.  I played about with some settings, let it get a good signal, and it logged  all my run for the first time.  It showed the calories burnt as 516 cals!  Great news.  This will be over the top as it thinks I'm running when in fact I walk half.  It used to take me 55 mins to burn 500 cals on the X trainer so I know it'll be about the same with the jog/walk, but it was still nice to see it on the screen!
 
Now tomorrow and Friday my wife gets up for work so I plan on doing the stepper in the house.  I have to be around in case my son wakes up.  But...... I fancy getting up earlier and doing the run outside and be back in time for her getting it.  I currently get up at 5.50am and get back in the house for 6.45am.  10 mins getting ready, 45 min run.  She gets in the shower at 6.10am ish so I'd have to get up 35 mins early, 5.15am, to acheive this.  Not sure what to do. 
 
I just can't imagine doing 45 mins on the stepper.  Plus, I think it'll wake Noah up.  I can't shut all the doors because I won't hear him get up.  Hmmmm, I'll wait and see.
 
Legs will be fun today as they're already in bits.  When I cut in the past the weights dropped and so did the reps.  My aim this time round is to keep reps up and let the weight suffer.  That way I'm still doing the work..... thats how I see it anyway.

Legs            WEEK 5
 
Squats            3 x 15            40kg for all
Leg press        3 x 8                100kg for all
SLDL                3 x 10            40kg for all
Seated calf      3 x 8              85kg for all
Standing calf    3 x 20            35kg for all
 
 
Good session but my legs were weak.
 
Tomorrow should be shoulders + bi's leaving me with Friday to do next Mondays back session and get one in front.  But it seems daft to do bi's the day before a back workout so I'll do back and bi's on Friday.  Bi's are still getting worked but they won't hinder my back workout.  I can get some abs done with the shoulders that way.

Yeah i no what you mean about the carb re feed, im mostly doing it because its my first real diet and didnt want to go to mad to start with. Im having quite low carbs all week just having rice cakes in the day and veg at night then relax it a bit for the weekend.
 
In a few weeks i will cut it down to just sunday and get more strict in the week as i go, will be keeping an eye on yours see if i can pick up any tips.

Nightmare couple of days........... training and cardio has gone to pot! 
 
Our house got broken into on Wednesday night while we was in bed.  Luckily they didn't take much or do much damage.  I got up for my first attempt at the mini stepper in the house and the back door was wide open!!!  Everyone's ok and hopefully insurance will pay out for the missing items (laptop, watch, MP3 player).
 
So I obviously missed cardio, didn't go to work and didn't train.  I slept on the couch last night as my wife was convinced they'd come back and kept hearing things!  I was awake half the night and didn't even set an alarm for any kind of cardio.  I went to work this morning, but finished at 12pm to be home so that someone could look at repairing the door.  I was hoping I could train this afternoon but they didn't turn up til late.
 
So instead of being a weights session in front for next week, I'm now one behind.  I'm going to go and train shoulders + bi's in the gym tomorrow after breakfast.  I've only done 3 cardio sessions this week so I need one more to keep up my promise of 4 cardio sessions per week minimum.  I'm going to attempt a mini stepper session tonight.  If I really don't feel like I'll put it off til Saturday or Sunday but it HAS to be done at some stage.  It'd be nice if my son had a nap on Saturday or something so I could go for a run.
 
I've agreed with the Mrs that I'm going to get up about 7am on my 2 days off and do some cardio.  I only really need to do 1 weights session and I'll be on track.
 
Luckily, my diet has been ok during all this.  Yesterday I didn't eat much at all but kept protein high using shakes.  I only had a shake til about 11am yesterday!  So I'm hoping I see some weight loss when I weigh in tomorrow morning.  If it's less than 5lb I'll not be happy.  I'm aiming for 2lb a week but even though I've been pretty slack with the diet, I'd like to see a little bit more than 4lb loss for the first 2 weeks.

Weigh in time this morning.  And what did I do....... forgot and drank about a pint of water!!!  I then remembered and got weighed so you could argue that I should be a good pound lighter, but it doesn't make much difference.  I might weigh myself tomorrow just to see.
 
Anyway, I weighed in at 13st 11lbs.  Thats 4lbs weight loss.  My target was 5lbs and maybe I would've got there if I didn't drink water first.  I'm a bit dissapointed that I've not had that initial 8lb surge that some people experience, but then again I haven't changed my diet all that much.  I just need to make sure I continue at 2lbs a week.  If I can't hit that I think I'll be going keto.  At least I know that works.
 
I've had breakfast and I'm up with my son while my wife has a lay in.  The plan is to go and train shoulders and bi's as soon as she's up.  Didn't do any cardio last night as I was dead but I've still got 2 days to fit it in somehow.  Then upto 50 mins on Monday.  I'm going to drop carbs as much as possible on these 2 days off.  I know I'll eat bad at some point so it's a case of damage limitation really.  If I have a really bad day I might do some extra cardio (I say this, and I have only managed 3 sessions so far this week!).
 
Breakfast carbs are going to be dropped pretty soon I think and the evening meal has to have a no carb rule now, even if I have to scrap things off.  I had a chicken curry for the last 2 nights and had a bit of rice on both occasions but it's just easier to skip it.

I managed to go and train about 12pm.  I had a whey and oats shake before hand because it had been that long since I'd had breakfast.  The session was short and quick and I had to improvise as it was busy.
 
Shoulders + Bi's            WEEK 5
 
Hammer press            3 x 10            80kg, 80kg, 80kg (8)
Standing DB press      3 x 10            16kg for both
Side raises                  3 x 10            10kg for all                (1 arm at a time, leaning off a weights tree)
EZ curl                        3 x 8            30kg (not inc bar)
Hammer curl                2 x 10           14kg for both
 
 
Decent session.  I've definitely lost some strength in my shoulders with the lack of consistancy in my shoulder routine.  I've used 110kg on the hammer press before.  Ok, for a small amount of reps, but I was expecting sets of 12 with 80kg.  The side raises hanging off the weights tree are a great exercise that I forgot about.  I used to love these.  EZ curl was just nice and steady.  I ought to be using more like 40kg on this but I don't seem to have the strength for some reason.  I think I prefer the straight bar and I'll be going back to these after the 6 week routine.
 
At least I got all my sessions in.  I just need to make sure I fit 4 in next week.

Hi Mate, Good to see you're going to start cutting again. I read your previous stuff which was impressive and it inspired me to join MT (and maybe put a journal together although I'm yet to do it). At the moment I've copied your meal thing of Carbs for breaky, Pre & post workout. I'm going to give dropping them altogether as you suggest. Is this were you saw most progress n your previous cuts?

Yeah, dropping carbs out (apart from a refeed on Sunday) definitely works for me.  The only reason I'm not doing it already is because it's gets pretty hard after a while and I plan on cutting for 16 weeks this time.  I'm also trying to eat normal evening meals with my family so some carbs are inevitable here, although I try to avoid them if possible (eg, chicken curry without the rice).
 
I'm having a nightmare this week............ as I mentioned I've been off work yesterday and today and I've done nothing........ even though I promised I would. 
 
No cardio at all, no weights, and a pretty normal diet.  I've not over done it and I'm hopefully still in a deficit so should still lose a bit of weight this week.  Back at work tomorrow, so back to cardio.
 
I can decide whether to cram a 3 day split in this week, or do my usual 4 days and train saturday morning.
 
Nightmare!!!!!!!  Who would've thought having time off work would cause so much chaos to my routine!

Arrrrrggggghhhhhh............ this is turning into a nightmare!!!!
 
So I'm back at work today, back to normal.  But a combination of a really late night,  Noah waking up a few times (he usually sleeps thru now), and the fact that I could hear the rain banging down, meant I ignored my alarm and did no cardio.
 
I'm now faced with the usual Thurs/Fri dillema where I have to either run really early or do the mini stepper in the house and risk waking everyone up.  I'm very tempted to cut my diet back a bit this week and write cardio off for the rest of this week.  At least I'll catch some sleep up.
 
I've been sleeping on the couch because of the breakin, up until last night as we now have an alarm fitted.  And I think the tossing and turn on the couch has taken it's toll.
 
I weighed myself this morning, out of curiousity.  If I'd gained any weight I'd be taking drastic action.  I've lost another pound so I need to make sure I don't slip up diet wise and hopefully drop another pound by Saturday morning to keep my 2 lb a week rule.
 
I'll play this week out, might attempt the next 2 mornings, might not, might try and fit some in on an evening, might not.  But the diet has to  be good.  I'm ditching breakfast carbs from now on and I ate 3 boiled eggs on their own this morning.  The meals I have planned for the next week can all be carb free so I should be ok.
 
I hope to get some kind of routine back next week even though I'm off Monday and Friday.  I'm going to train Saturday morning and I think I'll do my bi's with my back today so I only have to shoulders on Saturday and that gives me 20 mins to fit some HIIT in for a change.

So I'm planning on higher reps next week when my new routine starts but I'm sick of heavy/low volume stuff already so I'm bringing some higher reps in this week.  Obviously, weight went down but I don't mind.  I know my body well enough these days to be able to tell if I'm training hard enough or not.
Back + Bi's            WEEK 6
 
WG LatPD            3 x 10            80kg (8), 72.5kg (9), 65kg
LatPD machine    3 x 10             57.5kg for all
Cable rows          3 x 10            72.5kg (8), 65kg, 65kg
Underhand BB curls            3 x 10            40kg for all
 
EZ curl                3 x 10              25kg (not inc bar) for all
Inc DB curl          2 x 10              10kg, 12kg
 
 
Good session.  My little finger has some wierd thing going on........ feels like the nail is in-growing or something and it's killing and swelling up.  This spoilt the session to start with as it hurt when I gripped the bar but I sort of got used to it as time went on.  Higher reps felt great.  I'll do my new routine next week, find where I am with 3 x 10 then make sure I progress each week.
 
Chins will be back!!  Along with my old favourite, close grip latpd.  Not sure what I'll do for rows.
 
I did some higher rep ab stuff which felt good too, so this is in to stay.  I had a good day, head wise, and looked leaner in the gym mirrors!

I've decided to sack cardio off for the week.  Even if I'd tried this morning my son woke up just as my wife got up for the shower, so I would've had 10 mins on the stepper and that would be it.  When the cut gets serious I think I'm going to have to get up at 5am and run before she gets up.
 
I might try and do a session tonight but I'm not worried if not.  It's a bad week and I've hopefully adjusted my diet to drop a few more cals.  I only had carbs pre and post WO yesterday and that was it.  I'll do the same today.
 
The big problem I've got today is this little finger.  It seems I have a "withlow", what ever that means.  My little finger is huge, throbbing and at the stage where my arm now hurts.  I think it needs busting to releave the pressure but I'm not doing that at work.  I'm off to train chest + tri's shortly and just hope it doesn't affect my session too much.

The finger thing sounds like a bummer.
What is ya meal plan like at the moment? I'm unsure on what carb free breaky to have. I nicked that Tuna & Cott Cheese off ya. Surprised how nice that is. 

Yeah the finger is killing!!!
 
I usually have boiled eggs on toast for breakfast but now I've dropped carbs it'll either be an omlette if I've got time, boiled eggs on their own if not, or just a whey shake.  I had boiled eggs on their own yesterday and it wasn't too bad.  I just had a shake this morning as I was in a massive rush.
 
I forgot about the tuna and cottage cheese...... not had that for a while.  Might have to bring that back at some point.  I'm using greek yogurt at thte minute as a mayo substitute and it's quite nice.
 
 
 
Chest + Tri's            WEEK 6
 
Inc Smith            3 x 10            90kg (8), 80kg, 75kg
Dec Smith           3 x 10            90kg (8), 80kg, 80kg
Dips                    3 x 8             BW for all                (finger made this hard)
Cable X overs     3 x ?              25kg (15), 30kg (12), 30kg (10)
Pushdowns         3 x 12            60kg, 65kg, 65kg
 
 
Good session.  I feel a bit weak but squeezing 10 reps out felt great.  The dodgy finger made my grip weak and made the whole session uncomfortable.  I'm looking forward to a routine change but not sure what to do for my chest.  I'll go back to a flat press, either DB's or BB.  Then incline smith or DBs I suppose.

I forgot to mention my condition in the gym today.
 
I'm guessing this is just because I've taken more carbs out so I'll have lost some water, but my chest and shoulders looked great today.  My midsection is still a mess, but it's early days.  My top abs are poking through, but they always do because they stick out quite a bit.  It made me feel a bit better about myself, but I've also got a long way to go.
 
Quite amazing to think that I planned 16 weeks which seems forever, but by the end of next week 4 will have gone by and I'll be down to 12 weeks which is my usual cutting time.

Do you just mix tuna and cottage cheese together m8 never heard of that before is it nice.
 
My diet ends 13 weeks on sat so will be watching your diet close for tips