Tired. Sore. Sunburned.

That’s been the response in my head for the last two days when people ask how I’m doing. Friday’s workout did a number on me, I halfway messed up my shoulder in MMA last week. Some freak in Brazil compromised my bank card and spent $3,200 I didn’t have, leaving me with no money for three days; no bank card for six. I got a pretty good sunburn on Saturday and while it’s not incredibly painful, it’s for sure there. Also pretty sure my aching back is a result of riding rollercoasters while simultaneously being an old man.

But my shoulder is feeling much better. The workout was everything I needed it to be. I have all my money back and a new bank card. And I got that sunburn while spending a lovely Saturday afternoon at Dollywood with my sexy, sexy Cara. So, yeah, I’m actually still sore and still a little upset about what happened with my bank and I’m for-sure overworked (aren’t we all?) but at the end of the day, I’m a pretty darn lucky guy.

Therefore while I may be thinking Tired. Sore. Sunburned. when people ask how I am, my response is still …

Killin’ It.

So let’s kill, shall we?

Weekly Weigh-In: 223.9 Pounds (2 Pounds Gained)

I’ll repeat this 100 times if I need to. While I had an initial goal of losing 10 pounds, that goal was slightly misaligned. The number on the scale is certainly an indicator of progress, just not necessarily a good one. In my case, on this program, it’s not a good one. I also weighed on a Sunday after two days of excess. Still not too bad if you ask me!

Bi-Weekly Measurements

• Body Fat Percentage: 18.8% (Goal: 15%; 2.9% Lost)
• Skeletal Muscle Mass: 103.8 Pounds (5 Pounds Gained)
• Body Fat Mass: 42.1 Pounds (6.2 Pounds Lost)

See what I mean up there? My goal was to lose 10 pounds over the course of these 12 weeks and as I begin week 8 I’ve lost 6.2 pounds of fat! That’s an average of 0.9 pounds per week, therefore at this rate, I should lose another 4.5 pounds by the end of the program, bringing me to a total of 10.7 pounds lost.

I had a conversation with some of the guys at the gym about this on Friday night — about how the mirror is more of an indicator of success than your bathroom scale. How you look in the mirror and how your clothes fit are the goal here. We all want to get healthier, yeah, but at the end of the day, the ultimate driving force for most of us is to look better naked — be honest!

You can crash diet, don’t lift, go cardio crazy, lose 100 pounds and still end up being sluggish, frumpy and unhappy with your shape. Or you can eat well, lift heavy, move your ass and get yourself into a shape you never thought was possible. It’s truly your choice.

This Week’s Calorie Requirements and Macros:

Same ol’ song and dance this week.

Calories	3,000
Protein	219 Grams (876 Calories)
Fat	88 Grams (792 Calories)
Carbs	334 Grams (1,335 Calories)

This Week’s Meal Plan

Cara and I had a conversation over dinner last week about how each and every time we’ve eaten the dishes on these Mount Crushmore meal plans, we’ve thought, Damn, this is SO good! No kidding. Every night. And that’s the key to a good meal plan. Finding something you love to eat and eating it often.

This week, we’re repeating last week’s meal plan — a repeat of weeks 1-2.

This Week’s Workout Plan

Not going to lie, the new arms workout stuff I’ve implemented on this leg of the program is a real bitch and I love it. I can’t wait to share it with you freaks! Anyway, here’s what this week looks like:

• Monday: 5:45am Boxing60
• Tuesday: 5:30pm Weightlifting — Deadlifts, Squats, Bench Press, Lat Pulls and Biceps Circuit
• Wednesday: 5:45am Boxing60; 7:00pm MMA60
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: 5:45am Boxing60; 5:30pm Weightlifting — Squats, Deadlifts, Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Triceps Circuit
• Saturday: 11:00am Boxing60
• Sunday: 11:30am MMA60

 

Anything Else?

Just this picture — when you’re riding a merry-go-round but you’re still metal …

Ever onward, fellow heathens.

-JTF