Week 1 vs. Week 87 – front
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Measurement	Sept. 1, 2012	May 2, 2014	Change
Weight (pounds)	121.8	121.6	-0.2
Body fat percentage	23.5	15.7	-7.8 percentage pts.
Fat weight	28.6	19.1	-9.5
Lean weight	93.2	102.5	+9.3
Total inches	113.6	114.8	+1.2

•

Exercise	Start*	April 30, 2014	Change
Kettlebell swing	32 x 20 lbs.	62/13 x 60 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch	6.5 x 2.5 lbs.	4.0 x 25 lbs.	+900.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing	25 x 15 lbs.	8/7 x 45 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Isolateral dumbbell incline bench press	2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs.	0.3/0.3 x 40 lbs.	+33.3 percent
Yates row	7.0 x 55 lbs.	4.3 x 165 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls	6.0 x 25 lbs.	0.3 x 55 lbs.	+120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

I needed just one number to mark my progress. But that one number proved to be more elusive than usual.

What was my body fat percentage after 20 months of Project Bulk?

Lakeshore Foundation no longer offers Bod Pod assessments, only DEXA scans ($150). Even if they were free, I wouldn’t change measuring tools midway.

Both remaining Bod Pod machines in Birmingham — at Samford and St. Vincent One Nineteen — were broken, with no repair dates in sight. This was getting ridiculous.

I tracked down three more scanners in Alabama: at Auburn University, Alabama State University in Montgomery and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Fortunately, I was headed to Auburn earlier this week on business.

The one at Auburn? For students only. The one in Montgomery (a short detour on the way to Auburn)? The technician retired, and no replacement had been trained or hired. Really?

Early this morning, I drove to Tuscaloosa to last remaining Bod Pod in state available to the public. I desperately wanted to know my number.

It was worth it.

After an unhealthy score of 26.8 percent body fat in September, I’m down to an incredible 15.7 percent.

Chart: Body fat percentage – September 2012 to May 2014

That score is in the excellent range for my gender and age group.

Chart: Body fat percentage ranges for men and women

Over 20 months, I’ve gone up and back down in weight. Today, I’m the same weight as I started, 121.6 lbs.

But I’ve lost 9.5 lbs. of fat and gained 9.3 lbs. of muscle. I’m stronger than ever, and I’m on a diet that’s easy for me to follow and maintain (though I might be a little less strict in the future).

I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I’m no muscled stud, but I am much healthier in strength training and nutrition. I can easily keep this pace, though I do need to shoot for more (empty) calories in maintenance mode.

If someday I choose to bulk up by working out more, I know I can do it. I’ve done some of the hard work already, simply by getting started.

I’ve completed Project Bulk, which means quietly updating my spreadsheets but no more selfies and no more regular posts.

I do hope you’ll check out “The 4-Hour Body”” [Amazon | iTunes aff. links] by Tim Ferriss, the book that showed me the way and gave me ideas, inspiration and options for keeping this fun and manageable.

Good luck on your own self-improvement projects!

I’m going to go celebrate with a bowl of beans.

[Click images for larger versions]

•

April’s average workout time was 25 minutes and 56 seconds.

I averaged 2,200 calories a day in April. I also had 132 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $807.30 so far. I spent $41.78 less on food in April compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 1 vs. Week 87 – side
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Week 1 vs. Week 82 – front
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Measurement	Sept. 1, 2012	March 28, 2014	Change
Weight (pounds)	121.8	122.6	+8.1
Body fat percentage	23.5	20.3 [Dec. 31]	-3.2 percentage pts.
Fat weight	28.6	24.9	-3.7
Lean weight	93.2	97.7	+4.5
Total inches	113.6	115.0	+1.4

•

Exercise	Start*	March 31, 2014	Change
Kettlebell swing	32 x 20 lbs.	65/10 x 60 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch	6.5 x 2.5 lbs.	11.0 x 20 lbs.	+700.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing	25 x 15 lbs.	25/8 x 40 lbs.	+166.7 percent
Isolateral dumbbell incline bench press	2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs.	0.3/1.1 x 40 lbs.	+33.3 percent
Yates row	7.0 x 55 lbs.	3.3 x 165 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls	6.0 x 25 lbs.	0.3 x 55 lbs.	+120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

I’m happy with my results so far. I bulked up quickly. I worked out minimally. I reduced body fat percentage easily.

Each stage has been fun and challenging and ultimately fruitful. I even hit a new milestone on Saturday: 5,000-plus calories. I can eat a 12-inch pizza solo in one sitting. In 30 days, I’ll know if my body fat percentage has plateaued or dropped further.

But I feel I’ve failed in one key area, an area that shouldn’t really matter. But it still gnaws at me.

I haven’t convinced anyone else to take the plunge. Not a single soul has given it a shot. To me, that’s failure.

I don’t preach this diet and workout routine as the gospel. I know it works on me, but I’d like more data. One person is an anomaly. I can safely say that I can add and shed weight with sustained, applied effort.

But I’ve never struggled with obesity or trying to lose pounds. I haven’t wrestled with other diets, or denial, or exercise, or temptation. I will admit that this experiment has been rather painless.

You might try “The 4-Hour Body” [Amazon | iTunes aff. links] and fail. Or have mediocre results. You might write it off as another fad diet. You might dig in for a few weeks, only to gradually give into temptation or the simple distractions of a busy life.

I don’t know. I only know my journey, which has been well documented on this site.

I figured I get at least a few takers by this point. I know several acquaintances had been watching from early on, just to see if a skinny boy could actually bulk up. But no matter how the numbers have shifted up or down, or the photos have shown growth and reduction, it has been me and only me.

You might roll your eyes at this point, which is fair. I roll my eyes when I see friends hawking essential oils or studies that prove vaccines cause autism.

It’s fine to have a healthy sense of skepticism, especially when it’s the zillionth diet or exercise routine touted by friends and celebrities and kooks. Heaven knows my skepticism remains, and I’ve been the actual guinea pig for a year and a half.

I’m happy to have proven to myself that I could do it and that I got the results I wanted at each phase. I’d be happier to have some company, but I can do only so much heavy lifting.

•

March’s average workout time was 25 minutes and 55 seconds.

I averaged 2,192 calories a day in March. I also had 125 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $849.08 so far. I spent $37.70 more on food in March compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 1 vs. Week 82 – side
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Week 1 vs. Week 78 – front
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Measurement	Sept. 1, 2012	Feb. 28, 2014	Change
Weight (pounds)	121.8	124.4	+2.6
Body fat percentage	23.5	20.3* [Dec. 31]	-3.2 percentage pts.
Fat weight	28.6	25.3	-3.3
Lean weight	93.2	99.1	+5.9
Total inches	113.6	115.9	+2.3

•

Exercise	Start*	Feb. 28, 2014	Change
Kettlebell swing	32 x 20 lbs.	63/12 x 60 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch	6.5 x 2.5 lbs.	9.0 x 20 lbs.	+700.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing	25 x 15 lbs.	13/10 x 40 lbs.	+166.7 percent
Isolateral dumbbell incline bench press	2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs.	0.3/1.1 x 40 lbs.	+33.3 percent
Yates row	7.0 x 55 lbs.	4.3 x 165 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls	6.0 x 25 lbs.	0.3 x 55 lbs.	+120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

It can be challenging to explain Project Bulk to both fans and strangers. After all, I started out getting bigger, and now I want to be leaner.

In other words, my goal is 15 percent body fat for a healthier me.

The easiest way to show it is by using photos of me at my heaviest (Week 53), which happened to be with my highest body fat level. And then pick the week where my latest body fat measurement had dropped dramatically (Week 69).

Hopefully, this will tell the tale better than I can with mere words …

[Click images for larger versions]

•

February’s average workout time was 25 minutes and 5 seconds.

I averaged 2,258 calories a day in February. I also had 129 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $811.38 so far. I spent $55.06 less on food in February compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 1 vs. Week 78 – side
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Week 1 vs. Week 69 – front
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Measurement	Sept. 1, 2012	Dec. 30, 2013	Change
Weight (pounds)	121.8	129.9	+8.1
Body fat percentage	23.5	20.3	-3.2 percentage pts.
Fat weight	28.6	26.4	-2.2
Lean weight	93.2	99.3	+6.1
Total inches	113.6	120.0	+6.4

•

Exercise	Start*	Dec. 29, 2013	Change
Kettlebell swing	32 x 20 lbs.	58/17 x 60 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch	6.5 x 2.5 lbs.	10.0 x 20 lbs.	+700.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing	25 x 15 lbs.	8/4 x 40 lbs.	+166.7 percent
Isolateral dumbbell incline bench press	2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs.	0.3/0.3 x 40 lbs.	+33.3 percent
Yates row	7.0 x 55 lbs.	3.3 x 165 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls	6.0 x 25 lbs.	0.3 x 55 lbs.	+120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

I’m a believer. After only 3 months on the Slow-Carb Diet, I’ve seen great results.

Weight – Dec. 2013

I’ve dropped 11.5 pounds. I started out in September 2012 at 121.8 pounds, peaked at 141.4 pounds this summer, and am now at 129.9 pounds.

I’ve been less concerned about the scale reading and more concerned about my body fat percentage. The weight for a skinny guy like me had little bearing on my overall health, but my body fat level was cause for concern.

Body fat percentage – Dec. 2013

From today’s Bod Pod test, I am at a record low of 20.3 percent body fat. Wow!

I could hit my target of 15 percent by March. I started out at an unhealthy 23.5 percent in September 2012 and jumped to an even worse 26.7 by April 2013. (It was about the same by Aug. 30.)

So, in just 3 months, I decreased my body fat percentage by 24 percent! Same workout routine of about 73 minutes a week, but big shift in eating … and now 29 percent less fat on me.

Adding muscle, losing fat

All that weight I just lost? Pure fat.

In the 90 days I’ve been on the Slow-Carb Diet, I actually gained a half-pound of muscle.

And to show I’m serious about sticking to my diet, I’ve listed all 70 yummy fattening foods I had on my 14 cheat days …

apricot oatmeal bar bacon bacon cheeseburger beer biscuit bread pudding candy cashew chicken cereal cheesecake chicken chicken baker chicken nuggets chicken sandwich chocolate croissant chocolate tart chorizo cinnamon roll Coke cole slaw cookies corn corn muffin

cranberry sauce Cuban sandwich doughnuts dressing egg roll eggs french fries fried chicken fried shrimp gelatin gravy green beans ham and cheese croissant hash browns hot dog hushpuppy ice cream Kung Pao beef macaroni and cheese mashed potatoes Mexican sweet tamale milkshake Nutella oatmeal raisin cookies

orange peanut butter and jelly peanuts pizza potato chips protein bar rice salad salmon sashimi sausage english muffin spanish rice spring rolls Sriracha popcorn sushi sweet potatoes tamale Three-Cup chicken toast tortilla chips tortillas turkey waffles

I’ve pigged out every Saturday for fun. And it has paid off.

I’d share my copy of  “The 4-Hour Body” [Amazon | iTunes aff. links] by Tim Ferriss, but I recently lent it to a friend. But all the details for the Slow-Carb Diet are already in a previous blog post.

I haven’t bulked, but I have become healthier with this recent diet change. And I continue to grow stronger.

I’m thrilled with today’s Bod Pod report, and I look forward to more, or less, in the coming year.

•

December’s average workout time was 21 minutes and 38 seconds.

I averaged 2,154 calories a day in December. I also had 132 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $812.95 so far. I spent $41.96 more on food in December compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 1 vs. Week 69 – side
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Week 65 – front

Measurement	Sept. 1, 2012	Nov. 29, 2013	Change
Weight (pounds)	121.8	135.6	+13.8
Body fat percentage	23.5	26.8 [Aug. 28]	+3.3 percentage pts.
Fat weight	28.6	36.3	+7.7
Lean weight	93.2	99.3	+6.1
Total inches	113.6	121.8	+8.2

•

Exercise	Start*	Nov. 29, 2013	Change
Kettlebell swing	32 x 20 lbs.	63/12 x 60 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch	6.5 x 2.5 lbs.	9.0 x 20 lbs.	+700.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing	25 x 15 lbs.	25/8 x 35 lbs.	+133.3 percent
Isolateral dumbbell incline bench press	2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs.	0.3/0.3 x 40 lbs.	+33.3 percent
Yates row	7.0 x 55 lbs.	3.4 x 165 lbs.	+200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls	6.0 x 25 lbs.	0.3 x 55 lbs.	+120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

I am full of beans. And cauliflower.

I don’t think I’ve eaten this much of one or the other in my entire life.

Each day, I have 8 oz. of black beans or pinto beans as part of the Slow-Carb Diet. And another 8 oz. of lentils. They are easy to prepare, store and reheat in the microwave oven. A dash of salt, and they’re ready.

I eat a lot more veggies these days, some fresh and most frozen: spinach, broccoli, carrots, peas, green beans. Again, dump in a bowl and heat/steam in the microwave oven.

That is a huge win in terms of convenience and nutrition.

I’m surprised how quickly I adjusted. I wasn’t a big fan of cauliflower before, but I enjoy it each time. Same with the mountain of beans I tear through each week.

I do miss rice during the week. I used to make it regularly in my rice cooker and eat it with many meals.

I miss waffles and toast and sandwiches and potatoes, as well as fruit and sweets. But I make up for all of that on cheat days wholeheartedly. I’ve probably eaten more doughnuts in 2 months than in the last 5 years.

I say no a lot. To beer, to sampling, to appetizers and much more. I’m strict about staying away from forbidden foods 6 days a week.

It has paid off. The first 9 weeks of the Slow-Carb Diet saw a loss of 9 pounds. (This week is skewed, because I had my cheat day on Thanksgiving, the day before — instead of after — my weighing. It should be back to normal by the next weighing.)

In a few weeks, I’ll return to the Bod Pod to see if my body fat percentage has also dropped.

My kettlebell workouts continue to improve, but I’m flat in my other exercises. I hope it’s not related to diet, but perhaps it’s an unavoidable trade-off.

I eat well and in good but not huge quantities. I enjoy my cheat days, and I also enjoy the return to routine on Sundays. And I don’t feel the need (yet) to go all out in preparing fancier meals to head off boredom.

•

November’s average workout time was 25 minutes and 25 seconds.

I averaged 2,130 calories a day in November. I also had 130 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $770.99 so far. I spent $129.10 more on food in November compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 65 – side

Week 1 vs. Week 65 – front
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Week 1 vs. Week 65 – side
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