It’s been quite some time since I’ve published an update on my fitness project. This has been for few factors beyond my own pessimism. In short, I haven’t been making the types of progress I expected, and it’s been really bringing me down. I’m not doing terrible, but I feel like I’m spinning my wheels, stuck doing the motions while only making slight, if any, gains or strength increases. Although I have added some mass, my bodyfat has crept up as well, thereby losing the definition I was so proud of.
If you aren’t familiar, I began my fitness journey under instruction from Cody Bobay, when I set out on my own body transformation in July 2011 (see My Fitness Story for details), the first step of which was to strip down to as lean as possible. Since then I’ve been trying to gain lean mass — with occasional guided adjustments to my diet and workouts to guide my progress.
By and large, I’ve steadily gained lean mass for months, kept eating a ton and growing as much as I could. In November 2012 though, I hit the wall and I’ve struggled since. Although my diet is pretty clean, I am today at 188 pounds and I’d guess about 18% bodyfat. The flab means I’m far less apt to post progress pictures. I’m more than disappointed, I’m angry and frustrated that I haven’t been able to do more or push myself harder.
Changing it Up
No more spinning the wheels. It’s time to do something new, and make a concerted effort and change to stimulate new progress. That’s why today I’ve joined a new gym with more options and opportunities to grow my routine and experience. I’ve also changed my diet to focus on cutting bodyfat. And incidentally I have also won a free month of crossfit sessions at CrossFit405. Although I don’t see myself as a crossfitter and am not likely to continue a membership, I will certainly take advantage of the high intensity workouts.
With crossfit 3x a week, I will still continue my strength training/lifting three mornings a week. My short term goal right now is to lose bodyfat while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. I’ve come along way to grow from 158 to 188. Although this is considerably below my desired lean weight of 200, I believe the time is right to cut while still making (much slower) lean gains. The downside is that this will also delay my This cutting will likely leave me at about 175 pounds further delaying my ultimate goal of 200. But I believe this mode switch will help me come back harder and shoot past my current plateau.
Also, my workout partner has recently moved across the country to be with his fiancé and family. I wish him all the best, and I’m looking for a new gym partner. I may even hire a trainer if I can find one here in the Moore area.
Big Thanks, or “now for something more positive”
Believe me: I am just getting started, but I want to thank Cody Bobay of Bobay Fitness for getting me started about three years ago by taking me through a transformation I didn’t think was possible (read it at skeene.net/fit if you haven’t).
Thanks to Mike Sydnes and Al Garrison for letting me join the Gladiators in PT sessions with Cody. I gotta thank Chad Kerr for being a consistent workout partner during his time at teleflora and running those stairs at OU’s stadium. Gonna miss you bro.
Thanks for the support from awesome friends that got me thirsty for fitness, like JJ Kelley, Brandon Payne, Josh Jerden, Shelby Lee. All of whom either inspired, pushed me, or got me started the first time I entered a gym.
Thanks to my all my other friends and peers for your support, advise, encouragement, inspiration, and positivity. Travis Schluter, Christian Spencer, Tommy Taylor, Wyatt Tilton, Jeff Griffith, Brandon sullivan, Ricardo Pinedo, Curtis smith, Spencer Basoco, Scott Chain, Jordan Jones, Austin Standage, Kim Brenneman, Landon Davidson, Joe DeMattio, Tyler Furfero, Coby Harvey, Brandon Kennedy, Ozzie Gallegos, Scott Do, Matt Marshall, Tim Valencia, Andrew Galura, Kwesi Keller, Brandon McCoy, Shannon Smith, Korey Bell, Erick Brockman, Buck Torres, Nikki and Wes Gautreaux, Brian Beahan, Charlie Al-Attar, Bryan Journey, Clint Gulley, Nate Asch, Andy Simon, Jessica McCarty, Magan Alyssa, Colby Pearce, Jeremy Benavides, William Vaugh, Cody Irons, Josh Jacobs, Nathan Teruel, Mike Wolfe, Chris Grady, Rod Casey, Stephen Penwell, Jordan Kelly, Matt Justin, J.j. Trudeau, Kyle Klingman, Josh Patterson, Oda Williams, and everyone else that I don’t have room to mention.
Also thanks to Teleflora for their wellness program, my boss Jamie Ham and VP Amas Tenumah for the flexiblity to take full advantage of it.
