Workouts of the Week: Week 6 AKA Hate The Scale

Last week’s workouts were hard! I know, I always say that but really this time. Really really. With the sets of higher reps thrown in after hitting 70% of my one rep max, the pump in my muscles was incredible. The skin on my arms felt tight on pull day and I was sore most of the week.

I’m pretty sure I’m still progressing on all my lifts. I looked back to the last time I did these weights, and I was able to get out a few more reps on most of the exercises. I love being able to see actual progress even if the scale is being a psychotic friend. It’s going up and down more than the Texas temperatures this month.

Since I’m in the process of cutting and using myself as a personal science experiment, I’ve been weighing myself every morning. There is so much in life that causes weight fluctuations – stress, soreness, water intake, salt in food, time of the month, and more. Physique contests are all about how you look on stage and not a specific body fat or weight.

I’m at the point where I’m trying to figure out a pattern between the scale, what I ate, and the look in the mirror. It’s definitely a wild ride. Some mornings I get up and the mirror looks amazeballs! I squeal and jump on the scale thinking it must be down. Then I stare at a larger number than the day before and ask WTF.

It’s definitely teaching me that the scale does not matter one bit. I will admit that it is a bit of a mental challenge to remain strong at times. I have one higher carb day a week and the rest of the week is almost identical in the foods I eat. The combinations are different, but the foods themselves are the same.

Thus one would expect that the scale would be steadily going down. Or at the very least staying still. Nope, up 2 down 3, up 2 down 3, up 2 down 1. Last week on Tuesday I hit an all time low. The very next day I started a slow 2 pound climb that lasted until yesterday. This morning I got up and was down over 2 pounds. Another low.

Years ago when I was “dieting” this kind of thing would have thrown me completely off the wagon. I would have followed my eating plan for a few days and when the scale went up, I would have eaten a handful of cookies and given up. Convinced it wasn’t working. Now that I know so much more of what to expect, I can reason with myself when the scale ride gets rough.

There is no physical way to gain or lose 2+ pounds overnight. Even if I hit the all you can eat buffet and put a champion eater to shame, the fat doesn’t arrive that fast. I haven’t strayed one bite from my plan so patience is all that is needed here. The overall trend is downward and day to day fluctuations are just that. The only reason I’m looking for them now is to figure out a pattern so that I can repeat the process (or not) to get the look I’m aiming for.

Simple, right? Ha, not so much but I’ll get there. So the moral of this story is… If you are honest and true to your food tracking and calories, don’t let the scale mess with your mind. Stay true to the plan and it will work. Take a step back and look at the big picture. Or at least commiserate with me because I’m right there with you. 😉

Squat Day
Core Lift – BB Front Squat at 70% of 1RM

• 3 Warm Up Sets
• 2 sets of 6 reps
• 1 set to failure – I got 9.

DB Walking Lunge – 2 sets of 20 reps
BB Back Squat – 2 sets of 20 reps
Seated Leg Curl – 2 sets of 20 reps
Decline Situp – 2 sets of 20 reps
Hanging Leg Raise – 2 sets of 20 reps

Pull Day
Seated Dip – 2 sets of 20 reps
Tricep Pressdown with Rope – 2 sets of 20 reps

Core Lift – Chin Grip Pulldown at 70% of 1RM

• 3 Warm Up Sets
• 2 sets of 6 reps
• 1 set to failure – I got 11.

Bent BB Row – 2 sets of 20 reps
Flat DB Row – 2 sets of 20 reps
Standing BB Curls – 2 sets of 20 reps

Lift Day
Core Lift – BB Deadlift at 70% of 1RM

• 3 Warm Up Sets
• 2 sets of 6 reps
• 1 set to failure – I got 13.

Cable Face Pull – 2 sets of 20 reps
Romanian Deadlift – 2 sets of 20 reps
Lying Leg Curl – 2 sets of 20 reps
Plank – 2 sets for 90 seconds each

Press Day
Standing DB Hammer – 2 sets of 20 reps
Standing Cable Curl – 2 sets of 20 reps

Core Lift – Decline BB Press at 70% of 1RM

• 3 Warm Up Sets
• 2 sets of 6 reps
• 1 set to failure – I got 13.

Incline DB Press – 2 sets of 20 reps
Decline Skullcrusher – 2 sets of 20 reps
BB Upright Row – 2 sets of 20 reps