MORE Calories

So Bin has been bugging me about simply eating more (and not worrying about how much I’m eating).  Although there’s really nothing wrong with measurement, Bin does have a point: I could eat more.  It turns out that I’m still eating slightly below 3000 calories per day, even at 22 blocks with 5 x fat.  Here’s how things work out…

So my “Life in the 22 block Zone” post is a decent example of training day eating. 22 protein, 19 carb, 115 fat (although I’ve upped the carbs a bit to even things out).

Let’s say this is a typical day:

22 blocks protein = 616
20 block carbs = 720
115 blocks fat = 1495

That’s approximately 2831 calories per day, which really isn’t that much compared to what a lot of people eat when they’re trying to gain.  I hasten to point out, that I wouldn’t be able to do this kind of assessment if I hadn’t been measuring on a pretty regular basis.

The verdict: I’m going to push myself up to 24 blocks, giving me about 3031 cal. per day.  For the final week or two, I’m considering switching to GOMAD at 5 x fat, which will be 2400 cal. of milk per day and 1495 cal. of fat, for an awesome total of 3895 calories per day.

Week 9: 160.0

This is truly a momentous occasion — a new personal record as far as bodyweight goes.

I was supposed to increase my daily block count to 24 this week, but I’m going to delay that for at least one more week to see if I can get a few more pounds of linear gains from eating 22 blocks per day.  This still feels like a ton of food, even when half of my calories are going down in liquid form.  I’m convinced that the sensation of being constantly full is actually making me feel more lethargic than is natural given the kinds of food (and the macronutrient proportions) that I’m eating.  I just don’t have the clear-headed “Zone” feeling anymore.

More and more, I really look forward to the days that I get to fast.  I usually go until around 4pm without even thinking about food.   These are always my most mentally focused and productive days.  I can’t wait to be done with this stupid (yet remarkably effective) program.

Week 8: 159.2

I’m back in the game, and heavier than I’ve ever been before.

No need for extra food — the extra sleep payed off.  Making the post-workout meal into an 8 block meal probably helped too.  I’ve still been doing a decent amount of metabolic conditioning, but I’m going to try to keep those sessions especially short in the future (10 min or below).  I’m also moving into a 3-week, Performance Menu-style hypertrophy cycle, which will be followed by a 3-week strength cycle.  If all goes well, I should have reached my target weight by the end of the strength cycle.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which means it’s time to completely destroy my insulin sensitivity with stuffing, sweet potato pie, and the like.  My goal for tomorrow is simple: to eat until I pass out.  In a way, I feel like I’ve been “training” for Thanksgiving for the last two months.  I’m going to crush this holiday.

Week 7: 157.2

No marked gains this week, even though I’m faithfully pounding 22 blocks per day.  I’ll be doing a couple of short fasts this week, and trying to get plenty of sleep.  Late night carousing last weekend really messed up my sleep schedule.

I’m also going to try to reapportion an even larger number of calories into my post-training meals (up to 8 blocks protein, 10 carb, crapload of fat)

Ben managed to catch up with me very rapidly…I’m not sure what’s going on there.  I suspect that he’s started eating at McDonalds on a regular basis.  That’s cheating dude…

Fat 400m

I was convinced that I would take a hit on my performance in metabolic workouts as a result of weight gain.  I continue to be pleasantly surprised.

Today, I ran 4 400m sprints (with ample rest and active-recovery between).  I managed 68 seconds (a new PR), 69, 70, 70.  Improvements in running form/efficiency have made a big difference; what’s more, the added bodyweight really didn’t seem to make a difference.

Progress Quest

Woohoo!

Recent weigh-ins:  154.4 and today: 157.4!

I’m going to set 165 as my initial goal weight and I think I can easily get there within the month.  Still have a lot to improve on as far as eating goes…and a lot more milk to drink!

Crossfit Football is pretty fun, but after reading Practical Programming I might switch back to SS and milk some more linear gains while I’m actually putting on weight.  Thinking about adding some O-lifts in there as well.

An Ode to Fat

Oh Fat!

Poor pariah of the “four food groups,”
Some dumb dipshit at the FDA
Sold your deserved reputation away.
Spuriously associated with obesity and heart disease.

Most misunderstood of macronutrients
On the stomach, unsightly, hated.
In the stomach, you leave one sated.
And, in my mouth…delicious.

Quiet king of culinary ingredients,
Good cooks know your goodness well.
Rich in calories and flavor and smell,
And often solid at room temperature.

Oh fat!
You put the goo in goodness,
And the fact in satisfaction.
And, so I sing your true praises to the ignorant world.