Nutrition, Diet, and Exercise: Notes, Goals, and Resources (these people just keep talking about crossfit)

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GETTING STRONGER (maybe?)

Back squat last night was I think 150lbs?  It was the bar + 40kg + 30lbs.  I was trying to keep up with the other girls.  I felt like I could have gone a little heavier, but my one knee hurt because I was breaking in my cowboy boots at work and I forgot how heavy they get.

Strict press is sloooooowly getting there.  We had to do 4 rounds of strict press (10) + chin ups (10, I used the TRX) and 4/side dead bug (which I don't think are difficult, and so I had to do something different with my arms, which sucked).  I was able to do all 4 rounds without totally dying at the strict press of the bar + 15 lbs (so a total of around 50lbs?).  Still a baby weight, but I'm beginning to feel more comfortable.

I WILL LEARN TO DO A PUSHUP AND CHIN UP NEXT YEAR.  BUT I WILL BEGIN LAYING THE FRAMEWORK NOW.

 
In my YMCA Silver Sneakers workout this morning I bench pressed 75 lbs. The last time I bench pressed anything was in 1998 when I took a college weight lifting class and could barely lift the bar. This morning's rep scheme was paired with hang squat clean and strict muscle ups (negative pull-ups if you're nasty) for 5-4-3-2-1 with a 9 minute time goal. The bench press felt way better than the hang squat clean and I think it's because there's way more motivation to not crush your body in a bench press than a hang squat clean. 

 
GETTING STRONGER (maybe?)

Back squat last night was I think 150lbs?  It was the bar + 40kg + 30lbs.  I was trying to keep up with the other girls.  I felt like I could have gone a little heavier, but my one knee hurt because I was breaking in my cowboy boots at work and I forgot how heavy they get.

Strict press is sloooooowly getting there.  We had to do 4 rounds of strict press (10) + chin ups (10, I used the TRX) and 4/side dead bug (which I don't think are difficult, and so I had to do something different with my arms, which sucked).  I was able to do all 4 rounds without totally dying at the strict press of the bar + 15 lbs (so a total of around 50lbs?).  Still a baby weight, but I'm beginning to feel more comfortable.

I WILL LEARN TO DO A PUSHUP AND CHIN UP NEXT YEAR.  BUT I WILL BEGIN LAYING THE FRAMEWORK NOW.
I have been doing box pushups and have now managed to somewhat get my body off the floor in a regular push-ups. I'm team elevated pushup instead of knees. 

 
our gym owner got pissed at eveyrone using the bands and "bouncing" for pull ups so now he is on this kick of self assisted pull ups 



They are kind of annoying to me, I can bang out a couple strict pull ups but not consecutive sets of 10 or anything - but these sort of combine some dead hang and keep you from cheating (if you dont let yourself).

I do think there is a correlation of upper body strenghth to body weight that makes the pull up happen- I know just before Corona when I was at my lightest weight I could consistently  do 5-7 at a time - God Damn you Iced Coffee season!

 
I have been doing box pushups and have now managed to somewhat get my body off the floor in a regular push-ups. I'm team elevated pushup instead of knees. 
Yeah, we've been doing a lot of push-up/toe touch for warmups, so I'm at least attempting on my knees.  There is one trainer who is def: pushups are part of the exercise round, I'm setting up the bar on the rack and you're doing pushups there instead of on your knees on the floor.  The trainers I work with are super into making modifications and know I'd much rather push myself to do more of a modification (like, 10 TRX pullups vs. 3-5 real pullups) so I actually do it vs. attempting to do something and getting frustrated because I'm not fit enough to do so.

@RG, for a pullup mod I do pretty much exactly what your owner highlighted on their video, only I use rings.  I like it because I'm not attempting to "lift" as much weight, but it's still taxing.

 
As a certified ring rower/TRX rower, I'll let you know that you're not quite getting the same muscle group as some of the pull-up mods involving the bar. You're definitely building muscle, but there's a lot of lat not quite involved. 

 
As a certified ring rower/TRX rower, I'll let you know that you're not quite getting the same muscle group as some of the pull-up mods involving the bar. You're definitely building muscle, but there's a lot of lat not quite involved. 
And I want to add that was meant to be helpful and not nearly as gym bro as it came off. Trust your trainers and all that jazz. 

 
I get annoyed too with the pull ups - we had push press and pull ups this morning, and were supposed to do 5-7 pull ups after the push press, I think I was just worn out from Saturday but I could only manage 2-3 pull ups so I was being "encouraged" to do the self assist, which just sort of annoy me for some reason, so I declined, and just attempted an extra rep or two, but in my mind grunting out a few imperfect pull ups is better than doing self assisted or banded?

 
I need some advice for foods I can take out in the field. Needs to be something that doesn't require heating up (i.e. still tastes good room temp), and can sit in a small cooler/bag in a truck during the mornings.

 
I need some advice for foods I can take out in the field. Needs to be something that doesn't require heating up (i.e. still tastes good room temp), and can sit in a small cooler/bag in a truck during the mornings.
Protein bars are usually what you’ll find in mine, but I realize that’s not a sufficient lunch. Usually if I need something more I pack a pre-made sandwich.

 
I need some advice for foods I can take out in the field. Needs to be something that doesn't require heating up (i.e. still tastes good room temp), and can sit in a small cooler/bag in a truck during the mornings.


One of the field techs I work with swears by using a thermos to bring along soup.  Maybe a way to get some hot food when you're tired of the cold options.

Of course, they also have to work outside in the snowy and cold Michigan winters and you won't have that problem. 

 
I need some advice for foods I can take out in the field. Needs to be something that doesn't require heating up (i.e. still tastes good room temp), and can sit in a small cooler/bag in a truck during the mornings.
Quinoa salad?  As long as you don't use too much vinegar/have too much liquid, tastes banger cold or at room temp.

 
I dont like to use the community microwave so 90% of my lunches are cold

I typically take some mix of grilled chicken / pasta / green peppers / feta cheese (which I am growing very tired of) sometimes I drop some habanero ranch in just to make it not taste like boring. 

Using the same formula above I tru and swap out the pasta (or limit it) with black beans or cauliflower rice ( sometimes hard to stomach cold without that habanero ranch ;)  )

Obvious choice for salads

Honestly this week I just brought a grillled chicken breast every day for lunch, was too lazy to make much else, but it worked (with some lighter ranch dressing just to keep it from tasting so dry)

 
^- I also found a decent deal on a knock off yeti lunch box at cabelas, for $25 bucks its a good size but not "huge" and it kept my food cold in our 99 degree days..(in the car)

 
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Thanks for the suggestions all.

How does the cold chicken breast work out everyday? I used to eat chicken breast with rice, but even warm it started to get old.

I'm interested in knowing of any good animal proteins. Some other stuff I can think of is canned chicken and tuna.

 
Its tough to do it more than 3X a week to be honest, I try and bring something with some taste like an apple and I keep a big bag of almonds in my car to keep me from going to get a bag of chips (Chips are my achilles heal of nutriion)

Sometimes my wife is on point with meal prep and I can snag one of hers: 

74D9F80B-4C4B-45F5-BA1B-EBD4E9ACE051.jpeg

 
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This whole week was a wash eating and exercise.

I only worked out on Monday. Then I had pizza.  Tuesday was a super fatty tuna meal with wine pairings (tyee tuna!!!!) then ice cream.  Didn't work out on Wednesday, due to a stomach ache from eating such rich food.  At simple pizza made at home.  Thursday was a ton of chicken curry + beers after work + Culver's custard due to it being $1 scoop day.  And today is chipotle...which means I won't be going to the gym.  Also, my uncle/aunt are visiting me this evening/over the weekend.  Which means a ton more eating/drinking shenanigans. 

I'm calling it a wash and restarting on Monday.  Tbh, it makes me feel real better knowing I can just restart and not persevering on "failing"

 
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