HEALTH UPDATE/WAY FORWARD

HEALTH UPDATE:

Got called from my Doc's office today.  Great news.

LDL: 64 (a drop of 136 points in 3 months)

HDL: 84

Triglycerides: 46

They said "It looks like the medicine is working".  I politely told them to f**k themselves in my head.  I'm scheduled to meet with the doc in person next month, at which point I'll discuss the possibility of coming off the meds, but I'm elated by this outcome.  This is the lowest I've seen my LDL...ever.  I started getting it tested when I was 21-22 and even then it was higher than this.  I'm actually in what is considered "normal" range (right in the middle), and even my total number would be considered ok, which typically doesn't happen due to my super high HDL.

I'm very pleased that my HDL and triglycerides remained good.  I was worried that my radical nutritional change may have impacted that.  It looks like I'm getting the blessing of my genetics while overcoming the curse as well.

Got training in as well.  Still on nights, so I came home, slept for 4 hours, woke up, had my yogurt with naked PB (PBFit without sugar or salt) and then ran 6 miles with the Mrs in 60 minutes and took my dogs for a walk with the 45lb weighted vest for 20 minutes.  Got in 21 GHRs and 30 NG chins.

The run was ROUGH.  My legs were still pretty pounded from my squat workout, and the low sleep and food were showing.  We ran outdoors with a light rain and tackled a lot of hills.  It was good for me.  I need to get in some road miles before my race.

All systems are go now for weight gain.  I'm making small changes now, because that's what I need to do.  I'm going to introduced post workout carbs on the same day I have pre-workout carbs: squat and deadlift workouts.  Post workout is going to be by way of fruit.  I know fructose is a bit controversial, but I'm still balancing health and performance, I have NO fruit in my diet, and this seems like an easy way to remedy that.  I'm also going to re-integrate red meat into the diet, but not make it the staple of my diet like it was before.

As far as the training front goes, my plan is to keep the basic structure the same, but start introducing intensity modifiers in each workout.  Rest pausing and dropsets are going to be key.  Once again: small changes.  Not everything needs an intensity modifier, but there will be at least one per workout.  Thinking of making my topset of press a rest pause, my axle flat bench last set a rest pause, a dropset on the belt squat, and a dropset on the t-bar rows.  I'm also planning on adding some sort of shrug on my back day (thinking dip shrugs right now: going to re-read Kelso's shrug book for inspiration).  The dips on the bench day will most likely rest pause just for the sake of time.

Going to keep the daily chins and GHRs.  I think those have been good for me.  Might include other movements too.

Will continue to push conditioning hard, but once the race is over running will be even more on the backburner.  I'm really digging the weighted vest walks though, and today I hit a hill doing it and felt it light up my whole body, so I may make incline treadmill walks with the weight vest something I include.

Got my Alpha Male today.  Took my first dose of it.  So many x-factors I'm introducing that there's no way to give it a good evaluation, but I don't care anymore, haha.

It's exciting times.