And So It Begins.

Alright, I'm going to get started on using this as somewhat of a workout/gym blog. I'm pretty wiped right now so I'm just going to list some stuff out to cover the bases. I'll write a properly worded more interesting entry another time.

Signed up at the gym with Hutton yesterday, went today for the first time. He hasn't done the gym thing before so I had to show him the ropes but he picked up on things quickly. Also met a coworker of his there, and a dude from 519. 519 is everywhere. EVERYWHERE.

I also did my inaugural weekly weigh-in. Drumroll plz:... 173.6 lbs is my starting point. Aiming to gain about 2 lb a week over 24 weeks until the end of March 09, I should be up to about 225 or so, then going into 'cutting mode' to trim the fat, for April/May/June. End goal for July 09 is 200 lbs, <8% body fat. I'm guessing I'm currently at 13-14%, and will probably max out no higher than 18% or so by March.

In order to gain 1 lb you need an excess of 3500 calories. 2 pounds therefore requires an excess of 7000 calories over the course of a week which works out to a handy 1000 cal. per day. My job is relatively sedentary so that actually helps in a way in that my current meal plan of 3500 cal per day probably gives me close to a 1000 cal surplus already. As my weight goes up I'll have to increase the amount I'm eating somewhat, as adding muscle increases your metabolic rate and you burn more calories even just sitting around.

So to get that amount of cals in every day, here's a one day food breakdown.

Breakfast:
-5 XL eggs, scrambled, with 100g chopped spinach mixed in.
-500 mL 1% milk, 2 bananas, 60g quick oats, 30g peanut butter, 1 scoop protein powder, 20mL flax oil = pretty killer shake, actually.

Lunch:
-180g salmon, between 1/2 and 1 high fiber pita
-pretty decent sized block of cheddar or marble cheese
-125g 1% cottage cheese with 100g frozen mixed berries or fruit salad mixed in
-170g baby carrots, 100g vanilla lowfat yogurt for dipping
-150g celery, 15g peanut butter
-1 Litre water

Snack/Preworkout
-250mL 1% milk/250mL water combined, 1 scoop protein (plus dextrose on workout days)
(hit the gym on the way home from work)
Postworkout Only
-250mL 1% milk, 250mL water combined, 1 scoop protein plus dextrose

Dinner
-200g+ Lean ground turkey OR Tilapia (fish) OR Chicken thighs
-1/2 can baked beans
-1 head romaine lettuce, 1 can mandarin oranges, handful walnuts or slivered almonds
-200g mixed frozen veggies
-2 glasses water

Right Before Bed
-125g 1% cottage cheese, 15g peanut butter

This isn't exact but pretty close. Overall plan has been designed for 40% calories from carbs, 30% from protein, 30% from fat (10% saturated, 10% monounsaturated, 10% polyunsaturated), and carbs emphasized at breakfast and after workout for less fat gain.

I'm sure it sounds silly and complicated to a lot of people, but after having worked out the amounts in advance, it's really quite easy and simple. Beyond that, I do all my grocery shopping and cooking on Sunday. I break out all the pots and pans and cook all my fish/chicken etc for the week, then store in the fridge in containers. Come home from the gym, dinner is ready in 4 minutes. Same thing done for lunches, get up in the morning, grab several containers from the fridge, into the lunch cooler and out the door.

The reason I have everything this regimented is basically to make it easier in the long run to stick with it. I've done the gym thing on and off for several years now, and I decided a little while ago that this is going to be the time I do it properly.

I'll go into further unnecessary detail about what I'm doing at the gym next time. Right now it's time for bed.
CT