TLDR: Back at It

Too Long Dad Recap

My lawn stopped growing so fast. Halloween decorations are for sale at Home Depot. The air is getting cooler. Kids are going to back to school. People are putting in effort at work again. It can only mean one thing:

NFL football is starting in three days.

Things I Watched/Read This Week: Face the Music

Weather was too good to get much reading done this weekend. By the time I got back inside after these sunny days, I mostly vegged out and watched The Boys and the new Bill & Ted Movie.

I definitely related to older Bill & Ted still struggling to write their masterpiece song, but needing help from their daughters to finally do it. I have some professional regrets like everyone does at my age, but my the wisdom gained will help me to help my kids write their world changing songs.

I could not be happier with the choice to watch this film instead of Mulan. it wasn’t great, but it was short and harmless.

Things I Lifted This Week: Another Week of Progress

• On week 7 of my current 12 week strength-focused program, with deadlift programming from Jonnie Candito and Barbell Medicine for the other lifts.
• Week 6 was four solid days of lifting, checking all the boxes and making small progress over the prior week
  • Deadlift highlight was the 315lbs x 5 wide stance snatch grip set I hit Friday
  • Squat highlight was a smooth 320lbs single
  • No highlights for bench press, but solid sessions throughout the week and think this week is going to see more progress

• An Instagram follower saw me benching and offered the following tips that I am excited to implement this week:
  • Remove the belt, arch a bit more, move hands more towards the rings, less of a close grip bench
  • Good tips, we’ll see if it works
• In the upcoming week, I start a new block that will include floor press, SSB squats and SLDL, so some fresh variations, which is always fun.
• Besides the 4 weight days, I did all the rest of my training, including:
  • 7 days of 400+ walking lunges
  • 30 minutes of jogging once
  • Interval rowing session
  • 2 days of GPP work with arm training
  • 2 zoom 25 minute EMOM pushup sessions

Things I Ate This Week: Protein Ice Cream for the Win

The diet went pretty well this week. I think 4 days this week, I whipped up some blueberry peanut butter ice cream in my ninja blender. I make the blender full, then fill a container to the brim to put in the freezer and eat the rest. Two hours in the freezer improves the consistency in my opinion.

My recipe (based on Greg Doucette’s YouTube video):

• 40g protein
• 16g PB2 peanut butter powder
• 185g frozen blueberries
• 100g Non-fat Greek yogurt
• 65g almond milk
• 3g xanthan gum
• 5g splenda

The xanthan gum makes the recipe fluffy and filling. I’ve been eating that recipe each morning after training, then the container from the freezer a few hours later. It sets the tone so well.

Cut Progress: Uncharted Territory

Here’s the update on the weight chart. Like it usually goes, I was getting frustrated that the scale wasn’t showing lower numbers, then one day I dropped from 169.5lbs to 167.4lbs and I held that weight for the next two days.

Losing weight isn’t linear, it’s lumpy. I acknowledge my obsessive tracking of weight and calories is beyond neurotic, but it works for me, so back off!

Late in this cut, I have to be very careful not to let being hungry or low energy impact other areas of my life, especially my relationship with my wife or with my kids. I can be more irritable than usual, but my biased opinion is that I’m still tolerable, probably due to knowing it is a potential issue.

Dad Report: Back to Pretend School

Many of you other dads probably have already started going back to school. I know some of my internet fitness friends, like Shawn at Morninglifter.com, are teachers for their day job and have been back at it for a few weeks.

But for us here in the PA suburbs, school is starting this week. The district is all virtual for at least the first 6 weeks of the year, and I’m still working from home, so not much will actually change. But, summer is over.

This staycation summer will be remembered forever as some of the best family time ever. All good things must end eventually. But I’m doing my best to hold on to these golden years.