Tag Archives: average

Day 308: The hiccup

Day 308 - front

  • Weight: 140.0 lbs.
  • Workout C: 29 minutes, 46 seconds; next: Workout C, July 8
  • Total inches: 125.5
  • Protein: 133g (0g over target)
  • Calories: 2,148

I am not prone to mistakes. That’s the upside to being a nutty perfectionist.

So last week, when I passed out from exhaustion, I awoke to a horrifying realization: I skipped my protein shake. Oops.

I have skipped the shake on many days, but always made up for it with extra food. Now, I was in the hole by 83g of protein and some 1,400 calories.

Usually, when I miss my daily targets, it is by minuscule amounts. This was the first time in nearly 300 days that I had come up short.

It took 4 days to make up the deficiency. I just couldn’t let it go until I got it to average out.

I am a slave to the numbers. Keeping a daily record of my diet has been one of the key factors in Project Bulk, the other being regular workouts of increasing intensity.

All mistakes can be fixed. Some simply take longer to correct than others.

Day 308 - side

Day 266: The days go by so fast

Day 266 - front

  • Weight: 137.0 lbs.
  • Workout C: 30 minutes, 40 seconds; next: Workout C, May 27
  • Total inches: 124.2
  • Protein: 129g (0g over target)
  • Calories: 2,390

Sticking to routine has served me well throughout Project Bulk. But these days, I’ve started to slack a bit.

Slack, in the sense of working out 1 day later than scheduled.

It’s not much in terms of flexibility, but it’s enough to maintain a thrice-weekly exercise program while also working and having a life.

I tend to err on the side of rigid rather than flexible. I’ve seen too many exercise and nutrition programs by others fall apart with too much wiggle room.

Whether it’s workouts or calories or protein, it all averages out each week. My job is to make sure I’m on track, even if a single 24-hour period goes high or low.

I don’t mind making up for those variations the next day. I don’t mind maintaining self-discipline.

As long as I can measure my changes and make good progress, I can afford to exercise flexibility.

Day 266 - side

Day 105: Eat like it’s your job

Day 105 - front

  • Weight: 133.2 lbs.
  • Workout C: 11 minutes, 40 seconds; next: Workout C, Dec. 17
  • Total inches: 122.4
  • Protein: 126 g (0 g over target)
  • Calories: 2,261

After 2 weeks of 2,200-calorie days, the next step is simple: 2,300-calorie days.

Surprisingly, my weight has remained stable the last 6 weeks, when I’d prefer it go up. And, of course, with more lean pounds than fat pounds.

A recap:

  • Days 1-14: no calorie counting, no weight gain;
  • Days 15-30: calorie counting, but no target, resulting in steady weight gain;
  • Days 31-61: 2,500 calories a day, resulting in steady weight gain;
  • Days 62-76: 2,000 calories a day, no weight gain;
  • Days 77-91: 2,100 calories a day, no weight gain;
  • Days 92-105: 2,200 calories a day, no weight gain.

The target protein has been a minimum of 122 g to 126 g a day, with the overall average being 136.6 g to date.

The sweet spot would be gaining muscle and losing fat simultaneously. It might be happening now, but I won’t know until I check my body fat percentage again, perhaps in 2 weeks.

It will not be difficult to ramp up calories again. Having already done a month at 2,500 calories, these small tweaks are really nothing. I just didn’t realize that the range of calories I consumed these last 6 weeks would have no effect on my overall weight.

My job continues to be to eat sufficient protein and calories every day. So far, it has been a minor hassle in accounting but enjoyable nonetheless.

Day 105 - side