182.4... Holy crap!

The score a few moments ago was 182.4 on the Tanita bathroom scale.  Of course, this means my actual weight would be lower, according to the Bod Pod.  Probably somewhere in the 181.6 zone...

...and I am not even trying!  Holy crap!

I must have shook something loose.  I was not expecting anymore periods of significant weight loss after a brick solid month of stability.  However, something began to shift a few days ago.  I am not sure how or why.  Here are few ideas:

1. Beans:  I've already explained how I've added beans to my diet, but I sure didn't eat any yesterday.
2. Prolonged cortisol secretion:  There is a stress hormone called cortisol produced by the adrenal glands.  It has many functions related to restoring homeostasis when your body is under high metabolic stress.  High metabolic stress includes surgery, trauma, and nutritional stress.  If this goes on too long, the body can cling tenaciously to it's fat reserves.  You weight loss will stop.  Cortisol levels must be reduced for fat loss to resume.  I may have broken through this barrier.
3. Kettlebells and 5/3/1 barbells:  I've already described how I have modified my workout to focus on strength training over aerobics.  This may be having some interesting and unexpected effects.

In any case, I think it is time to schedule a new appointment for the Bod Pod.  I should have a look at my body composition.

The Girevik broke his doctor's orders

So, after 4 days of doing little or nothing, I was going nuts with excess energy today.  I had to do something.  I was losing my mind and becoming depressed.

I got on my Elliptical Cross Trainer and busted 21 minutes for 324 kcal.  Numb hands and fingers did not stop me.  Before 5 minutes of rest elapsed, I got back on and busted another 15 minutes for 231 kcal.   This was was a nice round 555 kcal in 36 minutes of elliptical.

I didn't feel finished.  I jumped on the bike with intention of performing 10 minutes of cool-down cycling.  I did 18 minutes of meltdown cycling for another 184 kcal.  All-tolled, this was 54 minutes of exercises for 739.  This is an okay-level of production, but you know I did much more than that each day during the summer season.

After the Cowboy game, I was at loose ends again.  Way too much energy.  I decided to break medical orders and head to 24 Hour Fitness for a 5/3/1 workout.  I made one concession to medical expediency:  Rather than doing a barbell press, I used the Hammer Strength Decline Press machine.

I went big.  I went heavy.  I went hard.

1. 5 reps with 115 pounds on each side (45 + 45 +25)
2. 3 reps with 125 pounds on each side (45 + 45 + 35)
3. 2 reps with 135 pounds on each side (45 x 3)

According to the 5/3/1 pattern, I should have only done the final weight for 1 rep.  I went for two and got it.  I cycled through it all a second time, but I failed at stage 2, only getting 2 reps.  Incidentally, that final weight was at least 270 pounds, even if you give me no credit for the machine overhead.  This quantity would be 305 pounds in barbell terms.

It felt great to put three big wagon wheels on (each arm of) that machine and press it.  No NFLer would be impressed by that performance, but the dudes in the gym were.  I looked like a beast to these cats.  I guess I am a medium-size fish in a small pond.

It looks like the rest did me some good.  My strength seems to be increasing by leaps and bounds.  This is, in no small measure, the result of Kettlebell training.  For the moment, my fear of lost muscle mass is diminishing.  I am certainly not losing strength.  It's hard to loose muscle mass and not loose strength.  Conversely, it is difficult to gain strength without gaining new muscle mass.

The problem came after the pull-downs.  I finished my pull-down pyramid at 205 pounds.  I almost pulled that down twice.  Unfortunately, my right wrist feels a bit sprained and strained.  I think I done sprung it.  It was fine until I did the pull-downs.

Oh well, we'll see if I manage to sleep through the night, or if I have some problems with numbness.  A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.  That's what I always say.