After I gave up on my super intense weight loss diet, I started focusing on lifting and protein intake to maximize results.
I noticed a very big difference when I did that. I've put on a few pounds (weight is ranging between 308 to 312, weighing at random times), but have a visible muscle mass, strength and recovery difference. I've been lifting at least 1 or 2 times a week (really going for it, with maybe 1 or 2 additional light days - kettlebells, cardio, light lifting for muscles not worked in the previous lifting session). I've been downing a protein shake before bed (relatively low calorie, 180 to 250 calories, but with about 50g of protein), and find I feel much better in the morning after a hard workout the night before.
Two days ago I benched my new max, 210 lbs (2 unassisted reps, 1 more with a little help from spotter). Clean and jerking 135 without too much trouble (doing a few sets of 4 reps, then moving down in weight). Doing upright rows with 100 lbs (2 or 3 sets of 8 reps). Dumbbell bench pressing 160 regularly, have done 170. Trying to get to 200, mainly for the ego boost and bragging rights around my brother.
Still staying away from squats, as I don't feel the risk/reward ratio works out in my favor.
Making fast progress in BJJ, can hang with almost everyone in the class. Considering my size advantage, this isn't saying much, but it is a first step. Nothing worse than having the size advantage and still sucking. Albert (the guy who absolutely dominated me my first month) now seems to be rolling near 100% (or at least near 100% of normal practice speed/power) and we generally end in a stalemate, although he would still destroy me in points if this were a tournament. Last month, I submitted him (arm triangle) in one class, then he submitted me in the next class (arm-in guillotine), then we rolled until the 5 min time limit in the last class with no submissions.
Anyway, I'm at work and my hip feels like it's bleeding internally (probably from BJJ), so I'm going to go for now.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Catching this thing up....
So, I haven't posted in a while. Fell a little off the wagon. Actually, only by my standards, as I have still kept on a pretty solid diet and am working out 5-6 days a week on average (2 BJJ classes and going to the gym).
Started researching more direct medical solutions. I have always felt that I had some hormonal deficiency, but I hate people who blame their fatness on that. However, it does make sense. Everything from weight gain (and how/where I gain weight) to my lack of facial hair indicates low Testosterone.
So I did a bunch of research and was mildly considering a run to Tijuana, but I don't think I could ever go through with that, at least not without some professional guidance. Since I don't know any steroid users, it was probably not going to happen. Then I made a joke about steroids to my mom, who informed me that she has been on roids for a while. She was taking injections, and now has a pellet inserted under her skin once ever 6 months to regulate her T and estrogen levels.
So I went down and got a blood test. Turns out my total T level was 231, which is so low it qualifies as Hypogonadism (basically your nuts stop working). Any result under 300 is considered Hypogonadism, with a normal/ideal range being from 800 to 1100. My step-dad scored a 550 or so, so I have half the T of a 62 year old man. My free T (unbonded T) was at 7, and should be at 52 or higher. My PSA was normal (so I don't have prostate cancer, no surprise).
Here are some of the symptoms of Hypogonadism (from Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge):
Effects of low testosterone in men may include: (not all are present in any single individual)
Word Finding difficulty
Memory Loss
Fatigue
Muscle loss/atrophy
Increasing weight
Glucose intolerance (early diabetes)
I have experienced all of the above in increasing severity for the last several years. Especially the word finding and memory. I have been complaining for a while that my mind is deteriorating at a fairly fast pace. Sometimes I said this as a joke, but it has been really concerning me for a while.
The remaining symptoms (which I don't show much of), are:
Dry Skin Cracking nails
Frequent urination without infection
Getting up at night to urinate
Dementia-like memory loss
Poor sleep secondary to achy muscles
Erectile Dysfunction
So, I went down to Dr. Jackson, who turned out to be an OBGYN, which my mom failed to mention. That's another story.
I got 6 pellets inserted in my hip (more like my love-handles, but whatever). I think my mom got 1, so her description of what the process would be like was a little short of reality. Mine was more like trying to force a few extra things into a trash bag that is already full. There was some pushing and shoving to get all 6 pellets into the small hole she cut into me. They were said to be the size of a grain of rice, but I don't know what rice these people are eating. It was closer to the size of a half inch section of a drinking straw. And six of them. So, about the total size of a #2 pencil chopped up and shoved into me.
Then she stitched me. I wasn't told stitches were involved. In the end, it wasn't all that big of a deal, and it didn't hurt, but compared to what I was told, it was a bit much.
Now I have a big bruised and bandaged hip. I have 1200 mg of T in me, which dissolves over 6 months, for an average of 6.66 mg per day. It's supposed to take a few days to kick in, so I'm waiting to see if I can feel any difference, or if it will be very gradual. At those doses, I'm not expecting miracles, but I'll take whatever help I can get.
To be totally honest, now that I have started down this path, I wouldn't be against more "aggressive" hormone/drug solutions, but still can't stomach any type of surgery. We'll see where this goes.
Started researching more direct medical solutions. I have always felt that I had some hormonal deficiency, but I hate people who blame their fatness on that. However, it does make sense. Everything from weight gain (and how/where I gain weight) to my lack of facial hair indicates low Testosterone.
So I did a bunch of research and was mildly considering a run to Tijuana, but I don't think I could ever go through with that, at least not without some professional guidance. Since I don't know any steroid users, it was probably not going to happen. Then I made a joke about steroids to my mom, who informed me that she has been on roids for a while. She was taking injections, and now has a pellet inserted under her skin once ever 6 months to regulate her T and estrogen levels.
So I went down and got a blood test. Turns out my total T level was 231, which is so low it qualifies as Hypogonadism (basically your nuts stop working). Any result under 300 is considered Hypogonadism, with a normal/ideal range being from 800 to 1100. My step-dad scored a 550 or so, so I have half the T of a 62 year old man. My free T (unbonded T) was at 7, and should be at 52 or higher. My PSA was normal (so I don't have prostate cancer, no surprise).
Here are some of the symptoms of Hypogonadism (from Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge):
Effects of low testosterone in men may include: (not all are present in any single individual)
Word Finding difficulty
Memory Loss
Fatigue
Muscle loss/atrophy
Increasing weight
Glucose intolerance (early diabetes)
I have experienced all of the above in increasing severity for the last several years. Especially the word finding and memory. I have been complaining for a while that my mind is deteriorating at a fairly fast pace. Sometimes I said this as a joke, but it has been really concerning me for a while.
The remaining symptoms (which I don't show much of), are:
Dry Skin Cracking nails
Frequent urination without infection
Getting up at night to urinate
Dementia-like memory loss
Poor sleep secondary to achy muscles
Erectile Dysfunction
So, I went down to Dr. Jackson, who turned out to be an OBGYN, which my mom failed to mention. That's another story.
I got 6 pellets inserted in my hip (more like my love-handles, but whatever). I think my mom got 1, so her description of what the process would be like was a little short of reality. Mine was more like trying to force a few extra things into a trash bag that is already full. There was some pushing and shoving to get all 6 pellets into the small hole she cut into me. They were said to be the size of a grain of rice, but I don't know what rice these people are eating. It was closer to the size of a half inch section of a drinking straw. And six of them. So, about the total size of a #2 pencil chopped up and shoved into me.
Then she stitched me. I wasn't told stitches were involved. In the end, it wasn't all that big of a deal, and it didn't hurt, but compared to what I was told, it was a bit much.
Now I have a big bruised and bandaged hip. I have 1200 mg of T in me, which dissolves over 6 months, for an average of 6.66 mg per day. It's supposed to take a few days to kick in, so I'm waiting to see if I can feel any difference, or if it will be very gradual. At those doses, I'm not expecting miracles, but I'll take whatever help I can get.
To be totally honest, now that I have started down this path, I wouldn't be against more "aggressive" hormone/drug solutions, but still can't stomach any type of surgery. We'll see where this goes.
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