Baby Beast: fit log May 2016

I have done it. I have reached a point that I was never entirely convinced I would reach. Hard work does pay off and it is the strong who survive. Last month was just the beginning of a brand new fitness regime, read for yourself. May was crazy, too crazy I soon figured out.

I recently changed up my muscle groupings and it was taking more out of me than it was giving. When the majority of your workouts involve lifting it’s a bad idea to pair two big muscle groups together (i.e chest and back, biceps and triceps) but that’s what I was doing. I was so focused on throwing my body off and presenting new challenges that I didn’t logically consider the aftermath of 4-6 different weight exercises each on two large muscle groups in the same day. I see the sense in it now as it is written down, but at the time my focus was simply to train harder and harder. What I should’ve done is train smarter.The good side was the fact that my strength increased abundantly. The bad side was the immeasurable fatigue and soreness that occurred immediately after and lasted much too long. I was being to brutal on myself. Thankfully my body was quick to let me know what my mind wasn’t registering. My month of muscling up in May was not a mistake, just a misguided misstep. 

Fitness is an evolving goal, a learn as you go process.-Genevieve Rose

Personal notes from May:

1st-8th: Great lifts! Chest, back, and bicep gains.

10th-15th: stop slacking! Do it in the a.m. Being a DNB leads to depression.

16th: glutes on fire!

18th: didn’t want to push through – did it anyway! 15 pound curls and hammers! (4 reps, 3 different exercises).

19th: killed shoulders! 50 Russian twists (increased reps.).

20th: did chest and back instead of legs, also glutes. 9 sets of lower abs, 3 different exercises. Switch to 4 days on and 2 off?

Going through this summary I now understand the gaps of slacking and/or not working out at all, were because of the immense fatigue I was experiencing due to the unfair muscle grouping. 

Balance is essential, and not just when it comes to what happens in the gym. The scales need to be readjusted often.-Genevieve Rose

So there was better progress than ever when it came to strength but there was also an extreme amount of lack when it came to consistency.

In terms of my meal plan, things continue to flow smoothly. Nothing my body cannot use for anything beneficial (mainly refined sugar and excess fat). Eating good but not impeccably, and I do not count calories, I don’t want to be over focused on what I can and cannot consume. I still have no need for cardio as putting on weight is my biggest challenge. These days I eat reasonably well, in small amounts, and I eat often.

June goals:

1) Ease up: pair muscles differently (one major, one minor).

2) Keep lifting: lift max weight, low reps for definition.

3) Food: continue with small portions, frequent eating, and always add in smoothies for protein goals but also overall nutrition.I’m definitely a good distance up the mountain now. It’s been a tough climb and the incline is only getting steeper. New challenges are rising that I both love and hate. It is going to be very hard to continue upward, the only thing that would be harder is to go back the way I came. Entering month six is officially unfamiliar territory. Up until this point I’ve been improving on a relatively familiar weight lifting foundation, now is the time where I truly start to develop into the beautiful beast I’ve always desired to be. It will be hard, it will be painful, it will be challenging, and I will break. It will be a sacrifice and it will be worth it.