Cylon357's Super Cool Covid 2020 Weight loss comp log!

[Cylon357]

Had the follow up with my PCP today, actually a nurse practioner. She examined the injection site and could feel a lump but felt like that was just a knot that was going to linger for a couple of weeks. The redness of the skin is basically gone - I may only imagine that I can see anything there myself, and the lump has gone down considerably. It is getting harder and harder to find. We went ahead with another week of antibiotics, in very small part for the injection, largely for the prostatitis.

[Cylon357]

Good back oriented workout tonight. Started things off with deadlifts, done light'ish but with minimal rest between sets. Good sweat going to get things started. Moved on to barbell rows (I need to mix it up some, maybe with d-bell rows sometime). Calf work was next, and y'all know I'm a little "tetched in the head" so I'm probably going to walk like a cat with tape on its feet for a while. Did some goblet squats (left out the hip thrusters this time, more on why in a bit). Dumbell curls finished the weights, though I think I worked in a quick set or two of pullups.

The met-con (kinda), HIIT'ish (sorta) finisher for tonight was:

2:30 on the rowing machines (intense)
15 kettle bell swings
10 second deadmills

3 rounds, about a minute to a minute and a half between rounds. That was a great way to finish...

Man, there must be something wrong with me. I was huffing and puffing ready to be done and all I can think is "that sucked so bad! When can I do that again??!?"

Don't be judging me, 'cause y'all are right there with me

[wango]

Glad to hear that you’re infection is clearing up!

Enviable mind-set when we can look forward to the pain/sacrifice. Wonderful focus & clarity of the goal, & you just know that success will be there waiting at the end.

[Cylon357]

Good overhead press workout last night.

Started with OP, was feeling a little strong but turned out not to be the case. I had spent the earlier part of the day on the roof, blowing out gutters and general leaf blowing. Plus a little tinkering with my car. I have an alternator going bad, but of course, it won't just die on me, it is faking death. That is, it will fail, then miraculously start working again. Friggin' electrical gremlins. Anyhow, the part is on order, but I had to move the car to get to the ladder, blah blah blah.

All that to say, I felt a little stronger yesterday, but it turned out to be false. Still got my weight in.

Moved to dips, focusing on tilting the upper body forward and raising the knees. For me, that really hammers the pecs. 12, 15, 8, no weight on any set, just focused on feeling it.

Moved on to shrugs next, I think. Not particularly heavy here, again focusing on feeling it. 60lb dumbellls, 3x20. Tricep pushdowns and side raises were next. I only recently incorporated side raises back in to my routine, and already I can feel a difference. Did some pushups with the handles to round things out.

I feel like I am forgetting something but can't place it. Anyhow, 2 mile fast walk to get my LISS in, then pool, shower, food.

Life is good!

[Cylon357]

Taking the day off, though really that just means I'm pushing things out a day. Because, you know....

NEVER SKIP LEG DAY!!!

I maintained the pool yesterday and did some other light yard work, but that combined with Saturdays work and workout says "take the day".

Still waiting on that 8 day week. I gotta talk to the powers that be aka the Flying Spaghetti Monster about that. I'm sure he / she / it will get right on it.

[Cylon357]

Squat day, pushed from yesterday. It kind of felt like I needed another day, but I got it done.

Hit 11 reps of my 20 rep goal weight. That is up 1 from the week before, but man, I wanted 12. I probably could have got it, too, but it likely would have spent me for the rest of the workout.

Did the usual suspects after squats: calf raises and leg curls. Short and sweet, then on to the cardio finisher:
3 minutes on the treadmill (10min mile pace)
7 pullups with varying grip

3 sets and that last set on the treadmill, I did 2 legit 15 second intervals at 7.5 minute mile pace. Those were 'fun'.

Half mile walk to cool down, hop in the pool, some yoga stretches, and then a shower. Enjoying some turkey burger with brown rice and mixed veg as my dinner / reward.

Loving life right this second!

[DinAZ]

Squat day, pushed from yesterday. It kind of felt like I needed another day, but I got it done.

Hit 11 reps of my 20 rep goal weight. That is up 1 from the week before, but man, I wanted 12. I probably could have got it, too, but it likely would have spent me for the rest of the workout.

Did the usual suspects after squats: calf raises and leg curls. Short and sweet, then on to the cardio finisher:
3 minutes on the treadmill (10min mile pace)
7 pullups with varying grip

3 sets and that last set on the treadmill, I did 2 legit 15 second intervals at 7.5 minute mile pace. Those were 'fun'.

Half mile walk to cool down, hop in the pool, some yoga stretches, and then a shower. Enjoying some turkey burger with brown rice and mixed veg as my dinner / reward.

Loving life right this second!

Great work, I need to start adding some higher intensity cardio at some point. I’m sure the intervals are great for that!

[Cylon357]

Great work, I need to start adding some higher intensity cardio at some point. I’m sure the intervals are great for that!

I know it isn't a universal opinion, but I like doing HIIT'ish stuff at the end of the weight session. Realistically, I'm just not likely to get it done separately, like on a different day.

And yeah, those damn intervals... huffing and puffing, man. Kettlebell swings are good for that too, IMO, you just have to do them right. Ignore all the numbskulls that look like they are having a seizure when they do them wrong.

[DinAZ]

I know it isn't a universal opinion, but I like doing HIIT'ish stuff at the end of the weight session. Realistically, I'm just not likely to get it done separately, like on a different day.

And yeah, those damn intervals... huffing and puffing, man. Kettlebell swings are good for that too, IMO, you just have to do them right. Ignore all the numbskulls that look like they are having a seizure when they do them wrong.

Lol not a problem I think I’m in “auto ignore” mode when I go to the gym. I don’t go to the gym to judge others just to do my own work, but when I see 180lb dudes hip sledding 180 on my left and sumo deadlifting 135 on my right I have to tune them out before I get negative thought like WTF is that guy doing is he just here to try to meet ladies? I’ve come to the conclusion that more than half the gym doesn’t workout legs at all, and more than half the gym works out with near zero intensity. It’s kind of sad but is also a nice ego boost to be going hard while seeing others lift weights with the same intensity Id use to pick up a napkin at a restaurant. I can’t control everything about my body but I can control my work ethic.

Kettlebell work sounds good, I think I’ll have to buy some for home. my gym has more than enough dumbbells and free weights and a severe shortage of kettlebells. I’ve had to go from “I’m gonna do x lift with y weight” to “I’m gonna do x lift with whatever I can find available” when doing kettlebell routines.

[Cylon357]

Week 3 always kicks my ass! But, I still drug my butt in there and got something done.

It wasn't much, but it was something.

Did barbell bench and got my weight. Then just did skull crushers and dumbbell curls.

Didn't even get in my LISS because of rain, but tomorrow morning, I will get that done, too.

[DinAZ]

Hey Cy quick question: what do you like to do for deload week? Are you working out less days like only 3 days or something? Or just taking half the week off?

LMK if you don’t mind I’d like to get some ideas. During summer I wasn’t planning deload weeks cause I wasn’t working so I’d just rest extra whenever I needed but that option is gone so I need to start planning deload time.

[Cylon357]

Hey Cy quick question: what do you like to do for deload week? Are you working out less days like only 3 days or something? Or just taking half the week off?

LMK if you don’t mind I’d like to get some ideas. During summer I wasn’t planning deload weeks cause I wasn’t working so I’d just rest extra whenever I needed but that option is gone so I need to start planning deload time.

Man, that is a good question. Deload week is kind of open. If I'm being strict, then I will do the same basic plan, just reducing weight and eliminating or cutting way back on HIIT'ish stuff. If I'm being a little looser, then maybe I drop a day and roll that body part up into the other days, like maybe drop overhead press day, but move OP to deadlift day and some of the other stuff to bench day.

Sometimes I RADICALLY reduce both volume AND intensity, maybe only hitting the weights twice that week and doing LISS on a couple of others. It really comes down to how I'm feeling at the time. If I need a bit more recovery time, I will tend to do less. If I'm doing well, like the deload week is almost a pre-emptive thing, then I will do a little more.

[Cylon357]

Ugh bad few days for Cylon. We had a death in the family and that has kept me out of the weight room for a couple of days. I may start the deload early, but I am going to try to do a combo back and shoulder day a little later.

Everything else is good, just some distractions going on. This too shall pass.

[wango]

Ugh bad few days for Cylon. We had a death in the family and that has kept me out of the weight room for a couple of days. I may start the deload early, but I am going to try to do a combo back and shoulder day a little later.

Everything else is good, just some distractions going on. This too shall pass.

Very sorry Cylon.

[Cylon357]

Hadn't done jack for a few days, so... I guess the deload week started early. Kind of disappointed about missing back / shoulders but I can hit it this week light and be good to go for next week.

Today, I did a little over a mile walk, followed by a 1 mile run! (GASP!!!) I know, running is bad for you, running causes injuries, running came from the Devil, etc. Pheh, I like to mix it up now and then. And, the way I run right now.... Well, it would be more accurate to call it a jog, a slow jog.. ah, a slog! But it is something, and I will do something else tomorrow.

[wango]

Hadn't done jack for a few days, so... I guess the deload week started early. Kind of disappointed about missing back / shoulders but I can hit it this week light and be good to go for next week.

Today, I did a little over a mile walk, followed by a 1 mile run! (GASP!!!) I know, running is bad for you, running causes injuries, running came from the Devil, etc. Pheh, I like to mix it up now and then. And, the way I run right now.... Well, it would be more accurate to call it a jog, a slow jog.. ah, a slog! But it is something, and I will do something else tomorrow.

Nothing wrong with slogging!

[Cylon357]

I got an easy little workout in tonight to end the deload week. I did pushups, followed by unweighted dips. Moved on to some cable flyes, then tried sort of a reverse flye / rear delt thing. I felt that rear delt deal. It was fun and something I will work into my routine on occasion. Followed that with light tricep pushdowns and dumbbell laterals. 1.5 mile walk to cool down, then a hop in the pool. Just enjoyed some halibut with pasta and a pesto sauce.

Not sure what sort of routine I will pickup next week, probably going to be a game time design. Life is good, though!

[Cylon357]

It's been a couple of days since my last update. I bet some of you were thinking 'well, I guess cylon is done'

Hell no!

Though truth be told, I almost took the night off. That's the tiredness talking.

I put that sh!t down.

I got the first week back from deload going with squat day. Ah, squat day. Don't we all just love squat day?

I got 12 reps of my 20 goal, up a rep from the last heavy week, and frankly, more than I thought I had in me tonight. BTW, these are clean reps, none of this quarter rep, looks like a damn calf raise, just walked out and called it a rep, bull hockey! Nice steady descent, no bounce at the bottom, nice steady rise. I did do 4 reps, then 3 breaths, then 4 more followed by 3 breaths, then the final 4. Gee sus christie on a cracker, I was huffing and puffing after that one. I did do another set of 8, then two lighter sets with a narrow stance. I'm not feeling all Fred Sanford yet, but it will not surprise me if I do come Wednesday.

Did my calf work after that, just barbell raises tonight. I was going to do leg curls, but instead did stiff legged deadlifts with limited range to light up the hammies and for a little variety. I did pullups next, no weight tonight and alternated that with hip thrusters. Then onto the cardio finisher...

Tonight was simple, though not easy. 3 Rounds of the following:

2 minutes on the treadmill
15 kettlebell swings

Fudge it all man, when I came out of the weight room, I looked like I had been in a damn sauna. Sweaty and stinky, just the way I like my women! Wait, damn autocorrect. I meant... ah hell, that is a better line so I will leave it. Anyhow, 1 mile walk to cool down, then protein with a bagel + almond butter, and now I'm chilling, checking in on you heathens and letting you know what the heck is up in Cylon-ville tonight. BTW, not sh!t, really, is up in Cylon-ville tonight.

[wango]

Keep killing it Cylon! When you do the treadmill is it high intensity (speed? incline? run? walk?)?

[Cylon357]

Keep killing it Cylon! When you do the treadmill is it high intensity (speed? incline? run? walk?)?

Generally speaking, the treadmill work is at a 10 minute mile pace. So a bit of a jog... far slower than my 25 year ago pace when I could clock a 5k in 23 minutes, plus or minus, but age takes its toll. Anyhow, I will sometimes incorporate 15 to 30 second intervals in the treadmill work, where I move to a 7.5 minute mile or even... ah crap, I cant do the math in my head. The treadmill has numbers that represent MPH, I choose 6 for most of my time, 8 or sometimes 9 for the intervals.

Funny enough, I almost NEVER use the treadmill to walk. My warmup and cool down walks plus my LISS walks are outdoors.

EDIT: I do not use the incline function.

[Cylon357]

Oh, the leg soreness has begun. My quads, hams and glutes are all having minor dialogue with me today. Probably going to be looking for Lamont tomorrow, but we'll see.

[Cylon357]

Well, shit.

I had a follow up with the dermatologist today, where they cut out a 'very interesting growth' and another less spectacular but still potentially problematic mole. The growth was on my face, so that's not a problem.

The mf'ing mole was right on top of my left shoulder. That little bastard is the one that led the doc to 'no heavy lifting for two weeks'. Insert Yosemite Sam swearing here. No more than 40lbs. Dammit!

I'm working on figuring a way around this, but right this second the locals are wearing off and I'm starting to feel it. Gonna need a hydrocodone and a good whiskey to get through the night, but hey, that is a first world problem!

[wango]

Damn, that mole on your shoulder was deep I’m guessing? Hope you made it through the night alright & the pain improves today.

[Cylon357]

I don't think it was particularly deep, but they did seem to want to get all the margins (whatever that means, exactly). The mole was about half the size of the eraser on your standard #2 pencil. It wasn't raised, just dark. It looks like there were 6 to 8 stitches when I glanced over at it.

BTW, made the mistake of looking over during the procedure. Yikes! It reminded me of the line from 'Shaun of the Dead': "You've got red on you"

[wango]

I don't think it was particularly deep, but they did seem to want to get all the margins (whatever that means, exactly). The mole was about half the size of the eraser on your standard #2 pencil. It wasn't raised, just dark. It looks like there were 6 to 8 stitches when I glanced over at it.

BTW, made the mistake of looking over during the procedure. Yikes! It reminded me of the line from 'Shaun of the Dead': "You've got red on you"

The margins just means they want to be sure to get everything in case it comes back as being cancerous. They’ll typically take a little extra heathy tissue around the growth just to be careful.

Glad you managed to tough it out after looking, lol.

[Cylon357]

What's that, doc? No heavy lifting?? Da fuq??

<takes dressing off to change it>

Ohhhhhhh that's what you mean! Of course no heavy lifting with that!

Pic included, two days post procedure, from about 30 minutes ago.

[Cylon357]

Not a lot going on in Cylon-town tonight or for the past couple of days for that matter.

I got a walk in a walk today, 2.5 miles. Tomorrow, I may walk a mile / jog a mile, if I get up before it gets too hot. I may also try to work in some super light weight (maybe just body weight) work tomorrow as well, but I'm kind of restricted on what I can actually do with this dang shoulder thing.

Speaking of the shoulder, the swelling has gone down and it is starting to look better, but man, it is subtle and probably going to need the full two weeks before the stitches can come out. I did start the TB-500 / BPC-157 blend from Thymosin Labs today to help that process along. BTW, sub-q with a 5/16" needle... too short? Seems to have absorbed well, but wanted to get some opinions. Injected in glute region, but obviously not anywhere near IM.

A couple of good things have happened, though neither is workout related.

First, one of the cats we care for had been missing for almost two weeks. She showed back up tonight! This is not the one we let indoors, rather a different one, one that likes The Wife better than she does me. So, The Wife is presently outside visiting with her.

Second, we paid our house off today... Hooray! That felt pretty AWESOME!

Seems like there was one more thing, but it escapes me now. Pheh, it may come back to me later.

Even though having to take time off from the weights is annoying, life is still pretty damn good!

[wango]

Congrats on the good/great news in so many things! And if particular, hooray for the cat!

Love my 5/8” needle for sub-q in the mid-section. For IM it works great into my delt or pec as well (my wife takes fiendish pleasure at pinning me in the delt I can’t get to myself, the little demon).

I thought you were a Los Angeles Chargers fan? Was reading about the first night the fans were there last evening for the pre-season game. They loved it! But $60-80 for parking per game? Is that the going rate these days for the NFL?

[Cylon357]

Congrats on the good/great news in so many things! And if particular, hooray for the cat!

Love my 5/8” needle for sub-q in the mid-section. For IM it works great into my delt or pec as well (my wife takes fiendish pleasure at pinning me in the delt I can’t get to myself, the little demon).

I thought you were a Los Angeles Chargers fan? Was reading about the first night the fans were there last evening for the pre-season game. They loved it! But $60-80 for parking per game? Is that the going rate these days for the NFL?

I am a Chargers fan, since the days of Dan Fouts and Air Coryell. City is unimportant lol! They might be able to do something with that second year QB, Herbert. I was laughing last year as the kid still had acne, but looked very good with a lot of potential.

No clue on the parking costs, but that would not surprise me one bit. SOMEBODY has to pay for that new stadium!

[Cylon357]

So, lots of walking going on. I could probably do SOMETHING else, but man that is a wicked looking scar and I do NOT want to pull out a stitch. 2.5 miles yesterday, 2.5 miles today blah blah blah. At least the surgery site is healing and I should have the stitches out next Monday.

BPC-157 and TB-500 combo still going well. Man, where have these 6mm syringes been all this time?? Yeah, that is shallow but if you go straight in, you aren't much short of the depth you would get from a 1/2" needle at a 45 degree angle. Plus, you can always push until you get a little indentation in the surface of the skin for slightly more depth. Anyhow, I do not even feel them and have to check to make sure the dose isn't escaping. It isn't, BTW. Going to start adding low dose HGH into my protocol for a few weeks, maybe as low as 1 iu EOD, in the morning with the hope that won't impact natural production.

CANNOT WAIT TO HIT THE WEIGHTS! But, I am accumulating a few goodies for when I do hit them again. Looking at some ruck sacks / sand bag stuff, trying to find 60, 80 and 100 lb goods. I don't want to buy cheap, because I will just be buying again... I've also been keeping an eye out for used punching bags, because loop a couple of straps around them and you have the same thing.

[Cylon357]

2 more miles this morning, the last quarter mile was a jog. I did some single leg calf raises to finish it out today, well, so far at least.

[wango]

I am a Chargers fan, since the days of Dan Fouts and Air Coryell. City is unimportant lol! They might be able to do something with that second year QB, Herbert. I was laughing last year as the kid still had acne, but looked very good with a lot of potential.

No clue on the parking costs, but that would not surprise me one bit. SOMEBODY has to pay for that new stadium!

Yes, the zits made me laugh as well, and I agree, they could have a really good year. He looked fantastic. It is one hell of a nice looking stadium!

Agree about not wanting to pull those stitches out, patience is a PITA sometimes.

[Cylon357]

Yes, the zits made me laugh as well, and I agree, they could have a really good year. He looked fantastic. It is one hell of a nice looking stadium!

Agree about not wanting to pull those stitches out, patience is a PITA sometimes.

Patience IS a drag sometimes lol but better than the alternative, at least in this case.

BTW, it is early for you, isn't it? You know you are retired, right?

[wango]

Patience IS a drag sometimes lol but better than the alternative, at least in this case.

BTW, it is early for you, isn't it? You know you are retired, right?

Lol, the wife and I agreed that maybe we’re catching up for lost sleep a little too much. But damn, it feels so good.

[Cylon357]

I'm getting sick of walking. Another 2.5 miles this morning, but at least I can do my Italian lessons on the walk. Mind you, the neighbors sometimes give me the side eye as I walk down the street having an apparently one sided Italian conversation. Yet, nobody seems to think anything about someone speaking English in that same situation. It COULD be that my Italian sounds so bad it's like Mario become a robot, but I can't rule out something more sinister.


Shoulder seems to be healing well enough, if not as fast as I would like. It's coming along fine, I'm just (begin sarcasm) SO TOTALLY surprised I can't "heal my body like wolverine". Da fuq? I got ripped off! (end sarcasm)

All that said, it does look better. Swelling is gone, and the main incision is red, but it appears to be irritated, not infected, so all is good there.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Peep the pic below. Because posts are better with pics. And also, who is here for your entertainment? That's right! Your mom. Or your dad, or brother or sister or cousin or next door neighbor or just about anyone else on the planet besides me. I'm just some dork on the internet, waiting to get some stitches out.

Have fun with it, y'all! We get one go round!

[wango]

Molto bene!

[Cylon357]

Yet another walk today. I did do some single leg calf work after the walk, and will probably do something with the rower and maybe the treadmill tomorrow. Scar is red and angry, but I'm pretty sure not infected, just healing. The stitches come out Monday, just long enough for me to have to start back over with lower weights, but hey, life is a marathon, not a sprint, so I will get back to it ASAP.

What else? Hmmm, not a whole heck of a lot going on. Still, when you don't have to worry 'dur, are the lions going to eat me today?' then you know most other stuff is a first world problem.

[Cylon357]

Ok, I did my last 2.5 mile walk today. Monday. Monday morning, I get these effing stitches out and will almost certainly hit the weights Monday night. Giggity giggity!!

Today, I did the walk in the morning, then started a cleaning marathon at the house because we are having friends over this evening. Grilling burgers and chicken burgers, baking potatoes... there are some other things, but I'm frazzled atm as I have been going non stop today.

It is probably obvious, but tonight will almost certainly be a cheat night extraordinaire! We have boozes, too, man! Mexican Coke and Bacoo rum is on the agenda, plus whatever else you want, Jack! Well, almost. If you name a liquor, we have a pretty good chance of having. And if we don't, I'll fix you a drink to help your forget ol' whatsitsname.

Maybe I will post food pics later. Dunno. We'll see. Enjoy the day!

[wango]

Ok, I did my last 2.5 mile walk today. Monday. Monday morning, I get these effing stitches out and will almost certainly hit the weights Monday night. Giggity giggity!!

Today, I did the walk in the morning, then started a cleaning marathon at the house because we are having friends over this evening. Grilling burgers and chicken burgers, baking potatoes... there are some other things, but I'm frazzled atm as I have been going non stop today.

It is probably obvious, but tonight will almost certainly be a cheat night extraordinaire! We have boozes, too, man! Mexican Coke and Bacoo rum is on the agenda, plus whatever else you want, Jack! Well, almost. If you name a liquor, we have a pretty good chance of having. And if we don't, I'll fix you a drink to help your forget ol' whatsitsname.

Maybe I will post food pics later. Dunno. We'll see. Enjoy the day!

By all means post food pics! BTW, Mexican Coke (cola, lol) is legit different and better tasting! Have fun tonight!

[Cylon357]

Oy, I guess I'm walking tomorrow after all.

Leftovers...