# On the wagon



## animalmachine (Aug 1, 2005)

My training partner and I agreed to take the month of August off of drinking.  We had done this previously, and I failed after 4 days - but he lasted for 5 weeks and has been kicking my ass.  On top of that this summer has been one disasterous drinking binge with some very poor decision making.  This is going to be extremely challenging as my entire social life revolves around drinking.  Going to be losing a few "friends" and bar comps (trashed 3 nights in a row last week off of at least 10 drinks/night - avg cost $10), but will hopefully regain some sanity and build some solid LBM while I'm at it.

Training Goals for the next month:

Gain 5lbs LBM
Drop some bodyfat - I'll get this tested later

Diet:

6:30am - 1 cup cottage cheese + blueberries, oatmeal w/ milk
(377 calories, 2 fat, 47 carb, 38 protein)

9am - Myoplex MRP 
(280 calories, 2.5 fat, 24 carb, 42 protein)

12pm - salmon + brown rice + apple
(655 calories, 24 fat,59 carb, 44 protein)

3pm - Myoplex MRP 
(280 calories, 2.5 fat, 24 carb, 42 protein)

4:30pm (pre-workout) - 20g whey + 20g sugar + 5g creatine
(160 calories, 0 fat, 20 carb, 20 protein)

5:30pm (post-workout) - 20g whey + 20g sugar + 5g creatine
(160 calories, 0 fat, 20 carb, 20 protein)

6pm - chicken breast + white rice
(400 calories, 5 fat, 37 carb, 47 protein)

7pm - Myoplex MRP
(280 calories, 2.5 fat, 24 carb, 42 protein)

10pm - cottage cheese + blueberries
(162 calories, 0 fat, 13 carb, 25 protein)

Totals:

calories: 2754
fat: 38.5g
carb: 268g
protein: 320g


Training: 5 day MAX-OT w/ 2 cardio a week


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## GFR (Aug 1, 2005)

Good to hear you are quiting drinking for awhile, I have been trying to do it also...good luck


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## animalmachine (Aug 1, 2005)

trying?  how is that going for you?


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## GFR (Aug 1, 2005)

animalmachine said:
			
		

> trying?  how is that going for you?


It was going good...........3 weeks off....then I went home for a buddy's wedding and......4 days in a row of heavy drinking. Gained 10 Lbs in 5 days ouch. But Im back home now and its been 12 days off.

Most of my family are alcoholics so I want to stop the drinking before it gets ugly.


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## animalmachine (Aug 1, 2005)

Not bad! - I think special occasions are ok.  It's the frequent habit that's the killer.  10 lbs in 5 days?  That's gotta be water weight - is it possible to gain that much?


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## GFR (Aug 1, 2005)

animalmachine said:
			
		

> Not bad! - I think special occasions are ok.  It's the frequent habit that's the killer.  10 lbs in 5 days?  That's gotta be water weight - is it possible to gain that much?


I didn't weigh myself this week...............probably 5 lbs of the 10 was water. Plus we ate BBQ and pizza every day while drinking.


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## Nick+ (Aug 1, 2005)

Given up trying to stop completely,  trying for 3 glasses of wine an evening and one beer- and sort of managing it.............


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## animalmachine (Aug 1, 2005)

Day 1:

First official day w/ no alcohol.  I would say yesterday was the first but I was up drinking until 5am.  Yesterday I also awoke to a girl who really shouldn't have been there.  Waking up sweating from the sweltering heat from the midday sun only accentuated the massive headace and nasea.  As she finally leaves I hear "well I had a good..." as I close the door.  And now I feel like a real shithead. 

A lot of my drinking lately has had to do with the absence of a girl.  Shacking up with someone I don't care for just makes me more depressed.

So anyway - woke up today depressed as hell.  Forced myself up and out of bed and out to work... At work right now, unable to concentrate and wasting time on this message board.  My job is really boring and there are only two things I look forward to ever day - Hitting the gym after work, and then meeting my friends at the bars.  No more bars - all I got is the gym.


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## animalmachine (Aug 2, 2005)

Day 2:

weight: 160lbs
bf%:  need to test

Began a new Max-OT routine yesterday - Monday was just shoulders:

dumbell press (arnold style to the front) x 3 - 70lb dumbells, 4 reps 
side lateral x 3 - 30lb dumbells, 6 reps
rear lateral x 1 - 35lb dumbells, 6 reps

dumbell press felt solid - lateral raises always feel awkward for some reason.  Better get these down if I plan getting a second job as a personal trainer.

Had my first test in the not drinking thing.  Friends were all hanging out at bar next to my apt, went in to hang out for a minute - didn't have the urge to drink, but got bored pretty quickly.  Went home and studied.  I was in bed by 11:30 - when I normally don't go to bed until 2am.  Had a really hard time falling asleep - and when I did - I woke up from a really strange nightmare at 2am - but was fine after that.  I'm always still tired when I'm supposed to get up at 6:30am and usually hit snooze until 7 and rush to work.  Still happened today.  Hopefully this will end during this experiment.

Over 48 hours since last drink - biggest challenge will be later in the week and the weekend (bar nights are usually wed. thru sat)


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## animalmachine (Aug 3, 2005)

Day 3:
weight: 162lbs
bf%: forgot to test again!

Abs
----
cable crunch x 3  - 90lb,12rep
weighted leg raise x2 - 20lb,10rep

Bicep
-----
dumbell curl x 3 - 55lb, 6rep (took it easy due to residual pain from injury)
barbell curl x 2 - 120lb, 4rep (no pain from injury w/ barbell - wierd)

Traps
------
barbell shrug x 2 - 225lb, 6rep

Fortunately, I have a couple of friends who are supporting my not drinking.  Actually got to hang out with my friend who never goes out anymore because her bf is in AA.  Went to see Wedding Crashers last night - laughed my ass off.  Sadly, when I got out of the movie, there were no calls on my cell phone   - walked past the bars on my way home and didn't go in.  Watched TV, fucked around on my computer and went to bed.  Slept great - though could still use another hour or so.


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## animalmachine (Aug 4, 2005)

Day 4:
weight: 163lbs
bf%: forgot again!

Chest
------
incline dumbell press x 3 - 100s, (reps: 6, 4, 4)
flat dumbell press x 2 - 115s, (reps: 4,4)
weighted dips x 1 - 2 plates (reps: 8)

Not feeling any positive effects yet from not drinking.  I'm pretty tired, and actually find it harder to get out of bed in the morning.  Boss just informed me that I've been late every day this week... Briefly went out last night and drank water.  People seemed to understand why I'm not drinking and I got a lot of "wow, I really need to do that"... Having that support really helps out.


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## animalmachine (Aug 5, 2005)

Day 5:
weight: 165lbs !?
bf: 9%

Calves
-------
seated x 3 - 170 (reps: 6,6,6)
standing x 2 - 250 (reps: 6,6)

Legs
-------
squats x3 - 275 (reps: 4,4,4)
stiff-leg deadlift x 3 - 225 (reps: 6,6,6)


Up 5 lbs this week.  Weight fluctuations like that actually aren't uncommon for me, especially since this week I'm starting creatine again.  Still no alcohol.  It's been over a year since I've gone Friday night without drinking - it might be nice to actually have a Saturday morning!


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## animalmachine (Aug 6, 2005)

Day 6:
weight: 164 lbs

Back
------
pullups x 50
v-bar pulldown x 2 - 170 (6,6)
row machine x 2 - 170 (6,6)

Tricep
-------
Lying Tricep Extensions x 3 - 105 (6,5,5)
Dumbell kickback x 1 - 30 (6)

Didn't really know what to do with myself last night, so sure enough, still back at the bars.  Didn't drink though!  Tried plain redbull, but that just made me uptight and hate everyone.  Ever try to talk to someone who's drunk and you're sober?  They're spitting in your face and the stench of alcohol is unbearable - the smell reminds me of an old girlfriend who would always come over drunk.  never cared for it really.  If anything, this night helped my resolve in not drinking.  Watching drunk guys hit on girls - and watching girls try to get attention also made for good entertainment.


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## animalmachine (Aug 8, 2005)

Day 7 & 8:

Weekend - no training.

Still hung out with friends all weekend while they were drinking and I wasn't.  Felt like a parent taking care of everyone, breaking up fights, etc.  Should probably find new friends who don't do this every night.


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## animalmachine (Aug 12, 2005)

Day 12:

Wow, have I been slacking on this journal.  Still sober though!

Weight: still at 165

I thought I would be feeling amazing by now, but there's really no change.  If anything I'm really tired a lot.  I've been hitting the weights with a lot more intensity so it might from that.  I have been a lot more intense in the gym this week. For the last few months every workout has felt like a drag and it turns into more of a social hour with all of us whining about how tired we are and laughing about going out again that night.  Yesterday I turned anti-social - put on my headphones, cranked up some Strung Out and proceeded to destroy myself on squats and deadlifts.


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