Today's workout for me had a theme—NO MERCY!  I was determined to put up huge (for me) numbers during the workout.  I honestly set out to blast away my previous personal bests.  What happened you may ask?  Read on.

I keep my workout logs in a notebook.  About 2 months ago I started a personal bests spreadsheet.  I use that sheet to determine my weights each workout.  This one was no different except I decided to be agressive.  All these extra calories have me acting all macho at the gym (no, I'm not taking risks, just pushing myself harder and harder). 

I stepped up to the platform to do my bent over barbell rows and looked over my personal bests sheet.  My previous personal best for this exercise was 170 pounds.  I began loading the bar.  I slid 45 pound plates on each side.  I then grabbed two 10 pound plates and slid one on each side.  The bar is now loaded with 155 pounds.  I slap another 10 pound plate on each side to bring the weight up to 175 pounds, 5 pounds higher than my previous personal best.  As I began to wrap my wrist straps around the bar I recall thinking "What the hell, add even more!" I immediately stopped and added 5 pound plates to either side for a grand total of 185 pounds. 

I felt excited.  I wrapped my wrist straps and tightened them down.  I lifted the weight off the supports and took two steps backwards on the platform.  I bent at the knees and bent over so my back was in the right position.  I began moving the barbell, completing 4 really good repetitions and had nothing left, so I racked the weight.   I then moved directly to the incline barbell bench press.  This time I loaded the bar with 170 pounds.  My last personal best was 165 pounds and two things came to mind at the time I was setting up the weight.  Last time I did this exercise I almost hurt my shoulder pretty badly and the time I did my personal best I had a very hard tim getting 165 pounds up.  I stuck with 170 and managed to complete a set.

I went back and forth and completed a total of 6 sets of both exercises.  My lat pull downs and barbell push presses were done in the same manner.  I showed no mercy and pushed the limits of the weight I could lift.  I got through all of it.

Now I plan to show no mercy on my nutrition. I've found that keeping it very simple is the way to go.  I find a meal plan that gets me to where I want to be and then I stick with it.  No mercy!  There's no need for variety, that's what my cheat meal is for.  I have a job to accomplish and that is burning fat.  Afterall, I have to live up to the name of the Fat Burning Machine.

Accountability Log:

Week Begins 2/17/2008
	Sun	Mon	Tues	Weds	Thurs	Fri	Sat
Cycle spot	LC	LC	HC	LC	LC	LC	HC
M1 *	5:30 a.m.	3:30 a.m.	3:30 a.m.	3:30 a.m.	3:30 a.m.	3:30 a.m.	5:30 a.m.
M2 *	8:30 a.m.	6:30 a.m.	6:30 a.m.	6:30 a.m.	6:30 a.m.	6:30 a.m.	8:30 a.m.
M3 *	11:30 a.m.	9:30 a.m.	9:30 a.m.	9:30 a.m.	9:30 a.m.	9:30 a.m.	11:30 a.m.
M4 *	2:30 p.m.	12:30 p.m.	12:30 p.m.	12:30 p.m.	12:30 p.m.	12:30 p.m.	2:30 p.m.
M5 *	5:30 p.m.	3:30 p.m.	3:30 p.m.	3:30 p.m.	3:30 p.m.	3:30 p.m.	5:30 p.m.
M6 *	7:30 p.m.	6:30 p.m.	6:30 p.m.	6:30 p.m.	6:30 p.m.	6:30 p.m.	7:30 p.m.
Weights *	N/A	Lift	Lift	N/A	Lift	Lift	N/A
Cardio *	N/A	PM	N/A	AM	N/A	N/A	AM
Abs *	N/A	FYA	FYA	N/A	FYA	FYA	N/A
Water *	194 oz	220 oz	200 oz	240 oz	216 oz
Post-workout nutrition *	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pre-sleep nutrition *	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vitamins/Supplements *	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Accountability *	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cals	2398	2550	2584	2584	2551
Cals within 5% (+/-) *	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ratios (C/P/F)	42/38/20	43/40/17	47/35/18	48/33/19	50/31/19
Total Completed	15	15	15	15	15
Total Possible	15	15	15	15	15
Mission 2 Total Complete	222	237	252	267	282
Mission 2 Total Possible	225	240	255	270	285
* = Counts towards total
Success!
Failed
Not Counted!

Nutrition Log:

	Mission 2:  Day 19 of 100
	Meal/Training Plan:  Real-time accountability
	Day 19: February 21, 2008
3:30 a.m.	Meal 1:  Protein shake  with banana and Udos and oatmeal and 3 glasses of water
3:30 a.m.	Supplements:  Animal Pak, Glucosamine Chondroiten, calcium, chromium, glutamine, BCAAs
4:00 a.m.	Workout:  Lifting
5:00 a.m.	Supplements: Protein shake, BCAAs, glutamine
6:30 a.m.	Meal 2:  Chicken breast, oatmeal, large salad and 3 glasses of water
9:30 a.m.	Meal 3:  Chicken breast, large salad, oatmeal and 3 glasses of water
12:30 p.m.	Meal 4:  Chicken breast, cucumber and large salad and 3 glasses of water
3:30 p.m.	Meal 5: Chicken breast, brocolli and large salad and 3 glasses of water
6:30 p.m.	Meal 6:  Chicken breast, brocolli, large salad and 3 glasses of water
8:30 p.m.	Supplements:  Casein protein shake, glutamine, calcium and 3 glasses of water

Workout Log:

Thursday, 2/21/2008	A7
Exercise	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Set 6
BB Bent over row	185 x 4	185 x 4	185 x 4	185 x 4	185 x 4	185 x 4
BB Incline Bench Press	165 x 4	165 x 4	165 x 4	165 x 4	165 x 4	165 x 4
Lat Pull Down	180 x 4	180 x 4	180 x 4	180 x 4	180 x 4	180 x 4
Barbell Push Press	145 x 4	145 x 4	145 x 4	145 x 4	145 x 4	145 x 4
Swiss ball crunch	30	30	30

I hit personal bests on each and every exercise today.  Today was "No Mercy" day and it shows in the results.  My attitude was that I was going to lift heavy and lift heavy I did.

I'm tired and it is time for bed.  Keep shredding hard!

Until tomorrow...GET BACK TO LIFTING!