Nothing to see here yet but wanted to save a place for my next cut and since I didn't fit into my jeans this morning and walked to work in my track pants I guess it's going to be sooner rather than later.

Will post photos when we get started but I will still be bulking for the next couple of weeks then maintenance for a few weeks before starting the cut.

I will try to list my calories in/out. will be tracking everything that goes in my pie hole and estimated calories burned. I will also log what supplements I take and general thoughts.

By posting here I am hoping to keep myself accountable and to receive honest support and prodding if (when) I start to go off the rails.

By posting this now I have semi committed to starting this cut soon and can't just let it slip.

Cheer!

I didn't fit into my jeans this morning and walked to work in my track pants

Elastic is a diet's worst enemy.

ahh maybe Angie, but the freedom, THE FREEDOM!!!

Why don't they make men's jeans with a little spandex in them??

lol, they do Angie but the butt checks are normally cut out and they cost way too much money for me to wear them more than once a week when going out on a Friday night.....

Wait, I may have said too much...

One other thing I am doing different this time around is to check my blood sugar levels often. I just brought a meter and am currently base lining. My levels so far are.

First thing in the morning (5:20am, monday): 106mg/dL

Before morning snack: 88mg/dL

30 minutes after morning snack:

Just before lunch: 84mg/dL

30 minutes after finishing the standard spinach and chicken lunch with a 140kcal chocolate (Friday): 106mg/dL

1 1/2 hours after lunch: 79mg/dL

Pre Workout:96mg/dL

Post Workout/Post post-workout shake with 80gm Dex:76mg/dL

Pre Dinner:

30 Minutes Post Dinner: 97mg/dl (91mg/dL Christmas day, after eating 6000kcal of candy)

Pre Bed:

I actually hate to admit that my regular work jeans do have a stretch material added to them, not much, but it's enough to keep them from sagging too much, and from bunching and I find they don't rip as easily as my other jeans, which seem to just get sliced to pieces by sharp metal, jagged concrete etc. who makes jeans that aren't indestructible?

oh and I have to give kudos to Blaklader work stuff, it's amazing, I have yet to get a single cut on my work pants. They do not stretch and I can feel the difference if I eat a salty meal in them.

Nice mental images this thread has going for it... Lol. And to think Dave hasn't even posted any progress photos yet!

In order to have the worst before photo possible I just ate 450kcal of chocolate covered jelly belly jelly beans.

Jelly belly, here I come

One other thing I am doing different this time around is to check my blood sugar levels often. I just brought a meter and am currently base lining. My levels so far are.

Interesting approach, I'm familiar with the meters as my father is diabetic. How do you plan to use the blood sugar ratings in your cut phase? Are you planning to eliminate any foods that spike you too high?

Interesting approach, I'm familiar with the meters as my father is diabetic. How do you plan to use the blood sugar ratings in your cut phase? Are you planning to eliminate any foods that spike you too high?

I got the Glucose test meter for free (mail in rebate) with 10 test strips, 10 lancets so had a chance to see if I could do this often enough to be worth while without dreading the process but it is pretty painless. I got the Sunmark TrueResult and they will rebate up to $40 for the price of the meter, mine cost $19.99 (make their $$ on the test strips etc) and they have the cheapest test strips I could find.

At this point I am just playing around and trying to collect data to see if there is a correlation between blood sugar levels and my weight and what effect certain foods have on it.

For instance I am interested in seeing the effect of potatos vs wheat bread. Wheat bread vs white bread etc. and also to see if blood sugar has an effect on my moods and how I am feeling energywise.
I am also looking to see if consistantly during a certain time of the day my blood sugar pecks and if I have an effect on my blood sugar by twecking my diet.

It may come to nothing but I am already surprised that 20 minutes after workout and my post workout shake that has atleast 80gm of dextrose in it my blood sugar was almost the lowest of the day.

I will continue to play with my little prick and see what wisdom I can get from it.

I'll be interested in seeing the results of the blood sugar testing.

Very interesting indeed, I'm going to ask my dad If I can borrow an old tester, and a few strips.

Want to try it too.

@Al - yes because you have just so much extra time in your day.

Hey Rachael, great to have you along!

I have updated my mg/dL log and am surprised by how thin of a range it stays in, 79-106, wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing? Also strange considering how much bad crap I have been eating at the moment.
Will continue to track and update.

I would say it's a good thing. The blood glucose of a healthy body shouldn't fluctuate very much, unless you fall ill (often it drops when sick).