Day 15 of my 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge

November 5th, 2012.  Monday.  Day 5 of the MAX Pack.  My parents last day to visit.  A sad morning. I wrote the last 3 blogs from memory, although i did record all my food as i ate to make sure I was keeping my records up to date.

• Before Breakfast – 1st Yellow MNS packet + Coffee
• Meal #1 – My Dad’s egg sandwich again.  Yup, it happened and it was awesome! (2 fried eggs, 1 ½ pieces of turkey sausage, 3 pieces of real bacon, 2% cheese, ketchup on a sandwich thin) + water.  + both White MNS packets. 
• Pre Workout SPARK + Creatine.

Today’s Workout – Back @ the Peddie School FItness Center.

• Warmup – jump rope, band squats, band lateral walks, walking lunges.
• BB Deadlift 135×3, 185×3, 225×3, 275×3, 325×3, 365×3, 415×3
• Metabolic Strength Circuit – 2 sets

1. BB Hang Clean Squat (I added a front squat after the hang clean) 135×8
2. DB chest press  65×12
3. 400 meter Erg
4. Hammer Strength Pulldown  230×12
5. 12″ Box BB Squat  185×5
6. Ball Crunch 25

• 15 minutes of Cardio ADD.  Meaning I did 5 minutes on 3 machines.  5 minutes on the Versa Climber at 150 bpm.  5 sprints at 10 MPH and 2% incline on the treadmill.  5 minutes on the Keiser Total Body Trainer at 145-150 bpm.  Cool Down Stretch.

• Meal #2 – Post Workout Shake – 2 scoops of Whey protein.
• Meal #3 – Lunch at the Dinning Hall – Salad Bar + 3 small peices of grilled chicken.  water
• Meal #4 – Meal replacement Shake (MRS) + 2nd yellow packet.  This was the 1st time I had the Mocha MRS in my blender bottle with just water.  It was good, not awesome as it is in in the blender with milk, ice, water.  But better than the average protein drink.
• Meal #5 – almonds.  apple.  left over turkey with a bag of steamed veggies.  water.  + 4 OmegaPlex.

Day 14 of my 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge

Sunday, November 4th, 2012.  Day 3 of my parent’s visit and Day 2 of the temptation of my Dad’s breakfast.  My compromise was his egg sandwich.

• Before Breakfast – 1st Yellow MNS packet + Coffee
• Meal #1 – Meal Replacement Shake (MRS) + 2% organic milk, ice, water + both White MNS packets
• Meal #2 – My Dad’s egg sandwich (2 fried eggs, 1 ½ pieces of turkey sausage, 3 pieces of real bacon, 2% cheese, ketchup on a sandwich thin) + OJ (Trop 50 – 50% less sugar)
• Meal #3 – Apple.  Fat free greek yogurt + almonds.  30 minutes later – small protein bar + water.  +2nd Yellow MNS packet
• Meal #4 – Roast Beef in cheese wraps (Roast beef wrapped in 2% provolone) with hummus. Water.
• Meal #5 – left over steak.  Blueberries.  Broccoli and hummus.  Scoop of organic peanut butter.
• Meal #6 – My Mom’s turkey dinner.  Turkey, 1 scoop of stuffing (this maybe the biggest victory of the weekend.  I can eat plates of stuffing.  I am not exaggerating.  It is maybe in my top 5 favorite foods.  But I choose to limit myself for the challenge).  1 beer, water +4 OmegaPlex

No workout today – OFF DAY.

Day 13 of my 24 day AdvoCare Challenge

Saturday. November 3rd, 2012.  Day 2 of my parents visit.  Meaning day of difficult food choices.  Mom brought oatmeal raisin cookies and brownies and Dad makes THE BEST BREAKFAST OF ALL TIME.  That is not hyperbole.  Pancakes, fresh toast, eggs, bacons, home fries, you name it.  These have always been my trigger foods when my parents come to visit.  What follows is how it went down 🙂

• Before Breakfast – 1st Yellow MNS packet with Coffee
• Meal #1 – Meal Replacement Shake (MRS) + 2% organic milk, ice, water + both White MNS packets
• Meal #2 – ½ Whole Grain English Muffin w/ Organic Peanut Butter
• Meal #3 – Lean Burger on Sandwich thin w/ 2% cheese and ketchup.  + 1 grilled chicken breast and handful of blueberries.  45 minutes later – Pre Workout SPARK + creatine.

Todays workout (at my Wife’s gym)

BB Shoulder Press 95×3, 115×3 135×3, 155×3, 175×3

Metabolic Strength SuperSets (pairing 2 opposing exercises) – this is the best program for a commercial gym.  3 sets each

• 1A.  Trap Bar Deadlift  275×10
• 1B.  DB Incline Chest Press  65×10
• 2A.  DB Squat Press  40×10
• 2B.  Hammer Strength Row  270×10
• Arms to finish

 

• Meal #4 Post Workout Shake – 2 scoops of Whey protein w/ 2% organic milk.  Ice and water for consistency.
• Meal #5 – big dinner with my parents and in-laws.  Another huge potential for disaster.  But I think I did ok and according to the 90/10 rule (The 90/10 nutrition rule: 90% of the time, eat the right foods; 10% sample the foods you love) everyone gets a break on eating healthy 10% of the time.
• Fresh salsa on 3 crackers and broccolli with hummus for appetizers.
• For Dinner: Steak, mushrooms, 1 twice bake potatoes, (my splurge because it is one of mom’s best dishes) 1 beer, 1 wine, 1 champagne (we were celebrating my Wife’s new promotion).  For dessert I had a piece of Apple and Nut Bread.  This was only 2^nd piece of dessert on the challenge so sue me.

Day 12 of my 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge

Friday, November 2nd 2012.  My parents are coming for a long weekend visit.  We are officially half through the challenge.  I will only be posting the supplements, food, and workouts because Im too busy spending time with my parents to worry about blogging.  If I told my dad to give me 10 minutes to Blog, he would unload a verbal barrage a middle school boy picking on the fat kid (i know from experience) would be impressed with.

• Before Breakfast – SPARK + 1st Yellow MNS packet
• Meal #1 – Meal Replacement Shake (MRS) + 2% organic milk, ice, water + both White MNS packets.
• Meal #2 – Turkey chilli, water
• Meal #3 – fat free greek yogurt + almonds.  coffee.  45 minutes later – 2nd Yellow MNS packet.
• Meal #4 – grilled chicken w/ baked beans (drained).  Apple with organic peanut butter.
• Meal #5 – big dinner with my parents.  We always do take out the 1^st night they visit.  The usual pizza and wings with plenty of beers.  So I suggested take out from a restaurant with better choices; or maybe im rationalizing 🙂  ½ mushroom and swiss burger, 2 chicken fajitas (beans, veggies, salsa), 2 pieces of fried fish, broccoli and hummus, mixed veggies.  2 beers.  I’m full just writing that.  But honestly I was not stuffed when finished and I woke up the next morning hungry.

No workout today – visiting with my parents.

Day 11 of my 24 day AdvoCare Challenge

Today i woke up and weighed in at 218.5 lbs.  Down 1.5 lbs from my 220 lbs Day 1 weight.  Did I ever tell you?  No, I guess not.  I never did post our assessments.  Oh yeah, life, kids, work, family, hurricane Sandy, etc…you get the idea.  I will post our assessments probably with the final pictures and reviews.

Today we start the MAX PACK phase of the Challenge.  The cleanse is over.  It is hard to quantify the success of the Herbal Cleanse because the goals are: 1. Improve Internal Cleansing  2. Enhance Nutrient Absorption.  That means better poops and better digestion to me.  I say both were accomplished and I lost 1.5 lbs without changing my diet.  Now I my body is fully prepared to take advantage of the Metabolic Nutrition System (MNS), SPARK, and Meal Replacement Shakes (MRS) to change my body composition.  Now I know what your thinking…would the MAX PACK (MSN, SPARK, MRS) work without cleansing first?  YES.  And that is what I intend to do once the 24 days is over and successful.  Because your next question is “what do i do after the 24 days?”  You re-evaluate your goals to add or delete products from the plan.  You would continue the MAX PACK and add whatever is needed (if needed).  Am I rambling, YES, but my son is sleeping and any mom and dad know the frenzied pace during your kid’s nap 🙂

• Before Breakfast – SPARK + 1st Yellow MNS packet
• Meal #1 – Meal Replacement Shake (MRS) + 2% organic milk, ice, water + both White MNS packets.

PS – the MOCHA flavored shake is the best shake i have ever had!  Ask my wife, I was signing it’s praises when she came downstairs.

• Meal #2 – fat free greek yogurt + almonds.  coffee.  apple.  45 minutes later – 2nd Yellow MNS packet. 

P.P.S. – I was able to make until 1:45pm (woke at 6:30am) on only the calories above.  I know it is only my first day, but my appetite was squashed because of the MNS.

• Meal #3 – lean burger (95/5) on whole wheat sandwich thin + organic ketchup.  1 lightly breaded baked chicken breast + 1 slice of 2% cheese with lite pasta sauce.  Coke Zero.  Water
• Meal #4 – small protein bar, water, coffee, bag of steamed veggies.  Pre Workout creatine.

Today’s Workout @ The Strength Compound (my garage)

BB Squat 135×3, 185×3, 225×3, 275×3, 325×3, 365×3

Metabolic Strength Circuit – 2 sets and i was toasted!

1. BB Hang Clean 135×10
2. BB Front Squat 135×10
3. Pullups x 10
4. 1 min Jump Rope
5. BB Row 185×10
6. PB Ab Rollouts

• Meal #5 – Post Workout – 3 scoops of Whey protein + 4 OmegaPlex
• Meal #6 – I was F’ing starving by 10pm even though i had my Post Workout shake at 830pm.  4 chicken nuggets (Purdue, not McDonalds),  burger w/ ketchup, handfull of almonds.  1 glass of wine.

Day 10 of my 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge

Here it is, the final day of the cleanse.  Wednesday October 31st, 2012.  Halloween!  Also Post Hurricane Sandy is in effect.  School is still cancelled.  Im home with MJ all day (yay!).  Basically, my day is nothing like my normal routine.  So I will be posting an update to my previous blog…

Fitting the 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge into your Daily Life

No workout today.  Recovery Day.

• Meal #1 – ProBiotic RESTORE™ ULTRA and the Fiber Drink with 20 oz of water.  grapes and blueberries, 1/2 whole wheat high fiber english muffin + organic peanut butter.  water.
• Meal #2 (my attempt at healthy chicken parm) breaded baked chicken, 2% cheese, lite pasta sauce.  coke zero.  water
• Meal #3 – fat free greek yogurt + handful of almonds.
• Meal #4 – lean burger (95/5) on sandwich thin bun (100 calories), organic ketchup.  30 minutes later – SPARK
• Meal #5 – Halloween party! – small piece of homemade apple pie (did I just attempt to convince you it was OK to eat apple pie because I said “homemade”?  probably.), small piece of homemade banana bread (yup, I did it again :).  Decaf coffee and water.  This party was a small victory for me.  In previous visits I have crushed multiple servings of pie and banana bread (as a former fat boy FFB, I find this very easy).  But I stayed focused on my goals and did not beat myself up to much.
• Meal #6 Turkey Taco meat w/ a bag of steamed veggies.  Apple.  handful of almonds.  +4 OmegaPlex. 

Day 8 of the AdvoCare Challenge

Monday, 10/30/12.  Hurricane Sandy is HERE but the 24 Day Challenge continues 🙂  Work and Day Care is closed today so were all home staving off Cabin Fever.  Also more temptations when I’m home.  I find myself eating more when I am surrounded by food.  So I have to actively focus on my goals and the challenge.  The details are below.  I think I did pretty good.

Kelly and I both were able to workout.  Yup, reason #451 to have a Garage Gym.  A.K.A. “The Strength Compound”.  Yup #2, Garage Gym is in capital letters.  It is that important.  Modified my workout to strength maintenance and increased fat burning (details at the bottom).  Kelly did an 8 exercise strength circuit for 3 sets.  Both done in less than 60 minutes.

• Meal #1 – ProBiotic RESTORE™ ULTRA and the Fiber Drink with 20 oz of water.  grapes and blueberries.
• Meal #2 – whole wheat high fiber english muffin + organic peanut butter.  coffee
• Meal #3 – Steak and mushrooms.  Coke Zero.  handful of almonds. 
  
• Meal #4 – Apple.  small turkey chilli.  small protein bar.  30 minutes later – PRE WORKOUT SPARK + creatine!

Today’s Workout – Lower Body 

Deadlift – 135×3, 185×3, 225×3, 275×3, 315×3, 365×3, 415×3. = Strength maintenance of 455 lbs deadlift

Metabolic Strength Circuit = increased fat burning.  Moderately heavy weights (50% of 1RM) in a circuit format (multiple full body exercises with minimal rest)

1. BB Hang Clean 135 lbs
2. BB Front Squat 135 lbs
3. BB Chest Press 185 lbs
4. Burpees x 10
5. BB Row 135×12
6. Band Crunches
7. 2 sets of 10 reps each.  My ass was kicked!

• Meal #5 – (Post Workout) Super Shake – 2 scoops of whey protein.  2% organic milk.  ice and water for consistency.
• Meal #6 – baked breaded chicken w/ light BBQ sauce.  bag of steamed veggies.  handful of walnuts.  grapes.  Coke Zero.  + 4 OmegaPlex

Day 7 of the AdvoCare Challenge

Today was the last day of the cleanse that occurred during a weekend.  The weekend is where most people fall apart on their diets; I hope I did O.K.

• ProBiotic RESTORE™ ULTRA before breakfast.
• Meal #1 – Super Shake.  2 scoops of whey protein + 2% organic milk + frozen mixed berries + ice and water for consistency
• Meal #2 – whole wheat high fiber english muffin + organic peanut butter.  grapes
• Meal #3 – apple + small protein bar.  fat free greek yogurt + walnuts
• Meal #4 – Steak and mushrooms.  Coke Zero.  handful of gold fish.  + 4 OmegaPlex.
• Meal #5 (sunday dinner with the in-laws) 2 meatballs, London Broil, 1/2 baked potato (dry), salad.  1 glass of wine.  2 beers.
• 3 Herbal Cleanse tablets before bed.  No SPARK today,  too much coffee early in the day

No workout today – OFF Day

Day 5 of the AdvoCare Challenge

Same as day 4.  ProBiotic RESTORE™ ULTRA in the AM, SPARK pre workout, OmegaPlex at Dinner, Herbal Cleanse pills before bed.  Sprinkle in a healthy diet and heavy lifting, and I have a leaner body, better digestion, more energy, and less toxins in my body than 5 days ago.

But this is where shit is getting real.  My wife and I are going to show at in NYC with friends and staying the night.  That means restaurant food, alcohol, and lots of laughs.  Three of our favorite things 🙂  If you read my previous post Fitting the 24 Day AdvoCare Challenge into your Daily Life you will remember that their is no perfect time to do a cleanse, start a weight loss program, go back to school, have a family, etc…Last night was one of those nights.  We had a great time.  Ate some food that was not “AdvoCare Cleanse” approved but we were ok with it.  Accept it and move on.

Woke up – 2 ProBiotic RESTORE™ ULTRA and water.

• Meal #1 – fat free greek yogurt w/ handful of walnuts.  Water.  coffee
• Meal #2 – grilled chicken breast w/ whole wheat wrap, romaine lettuce, and salsa.  Water.
• Meal #3 (pre workout) – ½ whole wheat high fiber English muffin w/ organic peanut butter.  45 minutes later – SPARK

Today’s Workout – Upper Body

• BB Shoulder Press 115×8 for 3 sets
• DB Incline Chest Press 65×10 + Hammer Row 270×10 for 3 supersets
• TRX Chest Flys + DB High Pulls 40×10 for 2 supersets
• Dips + DB Hammer Curls 50×10 + Tricep Rope Pressdowns 120×10 + Free Motion Preacher curl 50×10 for 2 supersets

• Meal #4 (post workout) – 2 scoops of whey protein.  Salad bar and chicken from the Peddie School dinning hall
• Meal #5 – melon, pear, small protein bar, water on the way to the train station.
• Meal #6 – chicken Quesadillas, 2 beers before the show.  1 jack at the show
• Meal #7 – beef on wick, chip, broccoli and hummas, 2 beers after the show.

Day 4 of the AdvoCare Challenge

Today is the first day we started our ProBiotic RESTORE™ ULTRA.  It is another easy addition to the daily schedule.  Two small pills when you wake, 30 minutes before you eat breakfast.  No Fiber drink today.  Overall, another great day.  I absolutely felt the difference with out the SPARK.  I will not make that mistake again.

• Meal #1 – 6 egg white omelet with turkey sausage and 2% cheese with salsa.  Coffee (half caffeine)
• Meal #2 – ½ whole wheat high fiber English muffin w/ organic peanut butter

Today’s Workout – Lower Body

• BB Squat – warm-up 135×5, 185×5, 185 + 90 lbs chains x5.  Working sets 225 + 90 lbs chains x8 for 5 sets
• Trap Bar Deadlift – 245 lbs x 10 for 5 sets
• Walking Lunges – 40 yards up a ramp w/ a weight vest x3

• Meal #3 – (post workout) – 2 scoops of whey protein.  Salad bar, catfish with mixed veggies.  Water.
• Meal #4 – apple, grapes, small protein bar, water.
• Meal #5 – fat-free greek yogurt w/ a handful of walnuts.  Lean burger (95/5) w/ slice of 2% cheese, romaine lettuce, ketchup.  4 OmegaPlex.
• Meal #6 – handful of walnuts, apple, water.
• Before Bed – 3 herbal cleanse tablets.