We just returned from a quick grocery run. Earlier this morning, I completed a 30-minute cardio session. I aim for four 30-minute cardio workouts per week, either outdoors or in my apartment building’s cardio room, weather permitting. Here’s a look at what we picked up—not a full haul, just a few essentials. We grabbed almond milk, kiwis, apples, oranges, a banana, shredded cheese for my morning eggs, and diet soda (ginger ale and 7 Up). I also picked up some water flavoring to help me stay hydrated.
Whole grain pancake mix is a staple for me, especially during a cutting phase. They’re incredibly filling for breakfast. I’ve also been eating cottage cheese every night before bed as a slow-digesting protein source. While it might not be essential, I find it beneficial, and it’s certainly cheaper and more satisfying than a casein powder shake. This grocery run was smaller than usual. Typically, we’d also get chicken, ground turkey, and more vegetables like kale for our salads.
During indoor cardio sessions, I’ve been reading a fascinating book about why we forget things. It’s been quite insightful so far.
Here’s the finished breakfast: maple sausage (a new addition) and watermelon Kool-Aid, which I’m excited to try. I’m usually pretty generous with the Kool-Aid. Thanks to Robin for the aesthetically pleasing fruit bowl. I track it in my fitness app as roughly half a navel orange, half a kiwi, and a quarter of an apple. I typically copy this entry day to day because I don’t meticulously track low-calorie items like fruits and vegetables. I also don’t measure things like egg whites to the gram, as long as the portion is within a reasonable range.
We have two types of ketchup: a no-sugar-added Heinz (10 calories per tablespoon) and a President’s Choice Blue Menu ketchup (5 calories per tablespoon). We’ve used the Heinz for two years, but we’re now trying the Blue Menu. I prefer the sweeter taste of the Heinz, so I’m sticking with that one.
For my second meal, I’m having a kale salad. I’m using this mix from Costco. I’m weighing out 85g just to get a visual benchmark for future reference. It’s about three-quarters of this bowl, which is my usual portion anyway. I’ll then add 100g of chopped chicken. I haven’t been measuring this out precisely, but this will be my first time doing so. The salad mix also contains dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds. I’m tracking these based on the package information: 11g of cranberries and 8g of the seed and berry mix.
I’ll also have one of these kiwis. My fiber intake is still quite low for the day, so I’ll add an apple for an extra 5g of fiber. I aim for 35g of fiber daily. Digestive health is crucial for overall well-being and, in my opinion, has a significant impact on fat loss and body composition. Fiber also has a higher thermic effect than other carbohydrates, meaning your body burns more energy digesting it.
These kiwi fruits are excellent, and they’re relatively low in fat. Before my back workout today, we decided to watch one of my favorite training DVDs, Reloaded by Lane Norton. I remember watching this while prepping for Canadian Nationals in 2012. Lane was actually my coach for that show. I’ll include a picture of my physique from that competition. Watching this video several times during my prep was incredibly motivating.
Here’s my pre-workout meal: 130g of lean ground turkey (with about 8g of fat), 45g of basmati rice, and lemonade. I’m also taking 5g of creatine, 6g of citrulline malate, and some pre-workout called Pump Draw. It’s a bit late, so I’ll go easy on the pre-workout, which contains 250mg of caffeine per scoop, beta-alanine, and hordenine.
Many people have commented on the increased variety in my exercises. People ask, “Jeff, do you still have a core set of movements throughout your 4-6 week cycle?” The answer is yes. For back, I’ve been doing weighted chin-ups, one max effort set of five reps, and three sets of 10-12 reps. My goal is to add a rep or improve rep quality week to week. My other main movement for the past three weeks has been rows. I’ve progressed from two plates to two plates and a 25. Today, I’ll be doing three plates for 6-8 reps. I vary my assistance exercises more frequently, focusing less on strict progression. I’m not doing muscle confusion, though. I follow the bro split I outlined in my last video (linked here).
